[obsidianbutterfly]

When I first started going to my doctor for my depression my mom showed me an online article that talked about how a deficiency of vitamin B can make depression worse.... Has anybody out there ever heard about this and/or taken vitamin B and seen a difference in their depression? I was just wondering if this really works.... I guess it wouldn't hurt for me to go get some vitamin B and try it.... Just wanted to know if anyone's ever had any success with it.

[Marla500]

hello, I take B complex vitamins and find that if I miss a few days I feel worse. also when I was taking Prozac I found it helped to take some Melatonin before bed (it will make you very sleepy, and I only take 1mg, or a half of a 3mg tablet because 1mg is hard to find). I switched to Celexa about a month ago and that makes me sleepy so I havent taken the Melatonin while taking that. but I read somewhere that there is a new antidepressant being developed that will include Melatonin in the formulation.

[Rohag]

Hello & Welcome, Obsidianbutterfly! In my particular case a B-12 (cobalamin) problem is related to my depression. I suffer from autoimmune pernicious anemia (PA). Basically, I cannot absorb B-12 through digestion; I receive monthly B-12 injections.

A gastroenterologist diagnosed the PA a few years after psychiatrists identified my depression, although it is likely the PA was present much earlier. Unfortunately, having received the depression diagnosis, the medical professionals tended to attribute all my symptoms to the depression. That delayed the PA diagnosis and the initiation of B-12 treatment.

Also unfortunately, B-12 treatment has had no effect on my depression.

I wish you better outcomes.

[aimeeislost]

i have an overdose of vit. b from energy drinks and it hasnt helped me at all with depression...

[Rose76]

I was specifically told to take Vitamin D by three different doctors. They didn't check my blood level, but they said deficiencies are far more common than had been thought.

Pushing Vitamin D seems to be in vogue, right now. Years ago, it was Vitamin C.

I have taken a piece of paper and written all the vitamins down in one column. Then I write the recommended intake of each vitamin in the next column. Then I buy supplements that provide all the values indicated. Some vitamins are toxic, if you take too much. So I put a notation about that next to any vitamin that needs that warning. I would go by Federal Government Recommendations, unless I read a convincing argument to do something a little different.

Before I went into all this detail, I did the following: Each morning I took one multivitamin and one high potency Vitamin B complex tablet (that might also have extra Vitamin C in it.) My dietary habits aren't perfect, so I figure I need the insurance.

When I am very depressed, I neglect to take my vitamins. When I am in decent spirits, I do take them. That makes it hard to tell what is doing what. I am starting to think that failing to take my vitamins, when I start getting depressed, could be a factor in why my depression snowballs. I am now really trying to make myself be consistent.

[CrazyButSweet]

I think the thing about vitamin B is that stress uses up your B vitamins, so they assume that depression stresses you, and you need extra vitamin B. I find that MSM helps me.

I also forget to take my vitamins when I'm depressed, so I don't know if they help me or not. I know I have a little more energy after I've taken them regularly for awhile, and I sleep better. I'm not on meds, so don't know about that.