I am a type 2, and was diagnosed in 2008. I have dealt with depression since I was a kid, so my latest personal discovery is exciting enough that I thought I should share.
TL:DR (Too long, don’t read)
I started taking L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, a/k/a Folinic Acid. It is an OTC B12 vitamin supplement.
Details
Back in 2008, I was put on Lexapro to get over anxiety. This was shortly after totally burning myself out (16 hour work days, 2 hours of sleep) and shortly before being diagnosed diabetic. I took myself off the Lexapro, but still dealt with the occasional, but not insignificant depressive episodes.
Fast forward to last year. A close friend was dealing with extreme treatment-resistant depression. He had gone through experimental magnetic therapy, electroconvulsive therapy, all of the standard medications, and was admitted to a psychiatric hospital. After several months of inpatient medication and ECV, he finally started taking Folinic Acid, and was released two weeks later. He hasn’t had a suicidal thought since. Another patient he had befriended in the hospital had been there for years with treatment resistant depression. That patient started taking Folinic Acid and was released a few weeks later.
Fast forward to last week. During my last bout of depression, I decided to try it. I talked to my local pharmacist, and she told me there should be no side effects or contraindications with my Metformin or Prandin, so go for it. I have to tell you, I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER!
If you wish to do your own research, which I strongly encourage, google terms Folinic Acid, Leucovorin, L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, depression.
I bought mine at a local apothecary, although it looks like there are plenty of places to buy online.
I am leery of GNC’s versions because they generally tend to be pricey. In addition, what you highlighted is not the same product. What you should be looking for are products containing L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate. The GNC products are a different form of B12. The reason the L5MTF can work for depression is because it crosses the blood-brain barrier. Other forms of B12 may very well work as part of the energy chain, but if they can’t cross the blood-brain barrier, they may not work on depression.
Hi @jaxmeier1. I know that it’s important to look for : " L-5-methyltetrahydrofolate".
I found Folinic Acid as calcium folinate on Amazon
I would like to know if the above item is correctly described as folinic acid? Is Folinic acid L 5 methyltetrahydrofolate,? or are they misleading when they state folinic acid; is calcium folinate L 5 methyltetrajydrofolate?
Having battled with depression most my life, what works for me is that eventually the fog will lift and I will feel better. There are many painful lonely walks. And then life is better again )
Folinic acid is 5-formyl tetrahydrofolate (5-FTHF), aka leucovorin. A typical form of this is calcium folinate. L-methylfolate is 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate (L-5-MTHF). Both are ‘bioactive’ forms of folate, and should be distinguished from folic acid, the synthetic form of folate, which must undergo enzymatic reduction (MTHFR) to become biologically active. Common genetic mutations of MTHFR result in a body’s inability to efficiently convert folic acid (which is found everywhere these days) to useful forms of folate such as (L-)5-MTHF.
For more info, google for “Rich van Konynenburg’s simplified methylation protocol”, and discuss the suggestions within with your Doc. Start ‘Slow and Steady’ over several weeks, under supervision of your physician.
In addition to folinic acid / l-methylfolate, you might want to consider taking hydroxo- or methylcobalamin (forms of vitamin B12).
