[Jindra]

Dear Members,

I live in the Czech Republic and suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), especially in January, February and March, even in April. Because light therary does not help me, a specialist doctor here in the Czech Republic recommended me to try what is known in the USA and Canada as Metafolin scientifically known in the Czech Republic as L-methylfolát. He also referred to an article by the American professor Stahl. I found that on the website of Mercks: S. Stahl (2007): Novel therapeutics for depression: L-methylfolate as a trimonoamine modulator and antidepressant-augmenting agent.
CNS Spectr. 12(10): 739-44.

Here in the Czech Republic, this is not a registered drug that you can buy and therefore no doctor can prescribe it, but in Canada and the USA it should be free available.

Does anyone have experience with this drug as a medicine against SAD?

If yes, can anyone tell me how to use it? Which intake is appropriate?

Thanks beforehand and greetings from Prague, CZ

Jindra

[mrsD]

All of the folates improve depression. Methylfolate is more active for some because it does not have to be methylated in the body first like folic acid does. There are people with genetic errors, who cannot methylate folate and B12.

There is another that works almost as well... you may have it there: Folinic acid.

There is only one single source methylfolate in US... it is by
Solgar company. Merck previously was not selling it OTC here so it could make more money selling to RX only drug companies.

I don't know how much you should take. If you look up studies you may find doses. There is a warning not to take high dose folates if you do not know your B12 status. If you are low in B12
you can damage your nervous system by taking folate and not bringing the B12 up to normal.

Also DHA (which is found in fish oil supplements) is also very useful for depression.

If you Google both you will find many articles.

[Jindra]

Thank you. So you'll definitely need a doctor to supervise this, it seems. Otherwise, how do you know that you are not harming your nervous system. And how do you know whether your body can or cannot methylate folate and B12?

[mrsD]

If you have the blood test for B12, that is required by a doctor.

You can take both, without testing, but it would be best to know if you have a problem with B12.

The genetic errors of methylation can only be determined by the DNA testing. This error also affects the methylation of B12, so you will want to use a methylcobalamin instead of cyanocobalamin if in doubt.

[Jindra]

Thank you very much again.

1. I have been dealing with doctors for my depression for more than 30 years. My experience here in Europe is that doctors don't do what you ask them to do, but only what they think that is necessary. Since a metafolin treatment against depression is not in their "protocol", I am afraid that it will be very hard to find a doctor even willing to do a B12 test.

2. If a person has genetic errors of methylation, wouldn't that be apparent already from other clearly visible or otherwise noticeable symptoms? I am asking this, because I am afraid that getting your DNA tested for this purpose will be incredibly complicated, especially as long as doctors don't see that as part of the "medical protocol".

[mrsD]

The tests here for methylation DNA errors are now patient driven. Called the MTHFR DNA test.
Some places will do them without a doctor. They range in price from just over 100 American dollars to about 500 for a complete evaluation of liver enzymes.

Overtime as people age, yes, there are impacts on the nervous system and brain. Pernicious anemia can result. High homocysteine levels will cause damage to the cardiovascular system, and lead to heart attacks/stroke and peripheral artery disease.

I know of one preteen who was diagnosed early. And she had
also gluten intolerance which can occur with malabsorption of nutrients.

You can try plain folic acid... just take some B12 with it.
See what happens.

I'd encourage you to look at DHA as well. Vit D has been shown to cause depression if levels are very low. So folate is not the only player in this problem.

Vit D testing is being aggressively done in USA now. If you Google it there is a wealth of new information to be had on it as well. I don't know what is happening where you are however.

We have a Vitamin forum here with many many posts on Vit D and B12 so take a look!
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum49.html

[Jindra]

Thank you again. I am not sure if these MTHFR DNA tests are patient driven here as well, or can you even send a hair or some tissue to the US to get tested?

[mrsD]

Also you know, SAD responds to light therapy. I've used this myself, with good results.

I have a visor. I didn't use it as much this season, since I raised my Vit D intake this winter to 4000IUs a day.

But the past 2 seasons I really needed the light during the winter.
This is the one I used:
http://www.feelbrightlight.com/

B6 is needed also, since it is a precursor to serotonin synthesis.

[Jindra]

Thanks, but as I said in my opening message, light therapy unfortunately does not help me. That is why I started to look for alternatives. By the way, do you happen to know if you can get a MTHFR DNA test done per post? Or do they need to see you?

[mrsD]

There are mail order places in US...no doctor needed.

http://store.kimballgenetics.com/StoreFront.bok

http://store.kimballgenetics.com/Detail.bok?no=9

You'd have to email them to see if they will do it overseas.