Deplin is a medical food that is used to boost the effects of antidepressants. It is a vitamin (a water soluble form of B9), which is why it is classified as a medical food instead of a medication. It is used by your body to help produce neurotransmitters that affect mood. When you eat folate or folic acid your body breaks it down to L-methylfolate, but for a lot of people with depression your body can't do that. "It has been shown that as many as 70% of people with depression have a genetic error called the MTHFR polymorphism that limits their body’s ability to reduce dietary folate or folic acid into L-methylfolate" (http://www.deplin.com/folate-for-depression/). I look up each medication that i am put on and research it until i feel comfortable that i know the purpose, and side effects of said medication. When i read up on deplin i found it very interesting, especially the stuff about MTHFR gene. For more info on that check out this website:
http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/MTHFR
I would recommend to anyone that has health issues that require medication that you are as informed as possible to your situation medically including the medications that you are taking. nim.nih.gov has a lot of information on medications and such. It is really helpful to read what it has to say on the medications you are on. They are my favorite source when i look up information on a new medication. The site for the specific drug will also be helpful. Part of why i like the government website is because its purpose is to convey the facts, whereas the manufacturer website has some element of persuasion behind their description of their medication.
If you are currently on or interested in deplin i would recommend checking out these two sites:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19169195
http://www.deplin.com/
In summary, i find deplin very interesting, as well as effective. I am grateful for the research into this field that has enabled the understanding of the genetic defect and a way to negate its effects.
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