Is Your Antidepressant Not Working? This B-Vitamin Might Be the Missing Key!
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- Опубліковано 8 чер 2024
- Struggling with treatment-resistant depression? Dr. Tracey Marks delves into the transformative role of the B-vitamin, L-methylfolate, in enhancing the efficacy of antidepressants. Discover the intriguing connection between body weight, inflammation, and depression and learn how L-methylfolate could be the game-changer for many facing this challenging mental health condition. Plus, get insights on the interplay of folate and Vitamin B12 for a holistic approach to mental well-being.
Reference: Maletic V, Shelton R, Holmes V. A review of l-methylfolate as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2023;25(3):22nr03361
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I’ve been in antidepressants for over 20 yrs. I started vitamin B complex 15 yrs ago. It made a massive difference. Vitamin D and iron with vitamin C and fish oil also make a big difference with my adhd. Consistent exercise, sleep and good diet is also a must.
Yeah, thanks for this.
My new doctors told me to stop taking iron. I will get back on this. I miss my 🇮🇳 Indian doctor who mixed western and Eastern medicine, but his staff to get in was no good.
Going gluten free is helpful as well. You lose the urge to go out to eat.
It's hard to balance. I get like no exercise and I sleep 16 hours a day
@UA-camPurgetheblackplagu Why did your doctors tell you to stop? Be careful with iron. It is possible to ingest too much, and develop iron toxicity or iron overload. That is one of the reasons why my doctor asks for me to have blood work every 3 months as they try to treat my anemia...to make sure I improve, but don't overload on iron.
@@nikitasmith6600 The best time even a 5 min walk is first thing in the morning when you get the right type of light to help reset your melatonin balance for later that day and start to feel sleepy around 10pm. they say if you cannot sleep, forget trying just do 1 thing: Get up at the same time every morning irrspective of how much sleep you had if any the night before. This helps resets your sleep pattern rather than forcing your self to sleep when you know you cannot.
Don`t forget about vitamin D, you could be defficient even if you are always outside
Yes most people in North America are low on vitamin d ESPECIALLY those with darker skin!!!
yeah. there's even californian surfers who get deficient. the sun is not reliable.
I live in Las Vegas, and my D is always on the lower end, and I need to add a D supplement. In the summer months it’s way too hot to be outside, so I try to get outside more in the cooler months.
@@BigIndianBindi-jy1cz Sometimes your body just stops getting vitamin D from the sun. This happened to me.
That's what I was thinking, that the inflammation from a lot of our foods and some other factors could be causing the depression in the first place. It's kind of like the cause of not drinking enough water that makes you feel like crap and sluggish. They're all connected, especially to your mental/ brain health.
I really think alot of my depression symptoms comd from my diet
I absolutely agree with this. Eating foods that are sprayed with chemicals, eating foods that are out of season or over farmed. I have always noticed an upturn in my mental and physical health when, whatever the diet, I eat clean unprocessed foods. It seems more mood stabilising, less cravings and less sluggish bloated feeling in general.
As Hippocrates said 'All disease begins in the gut'. Again, I need to clean up my act!
Yes. Food can be medicine or a poison. It can make you feel good or really terrible and where do brain chemicals and hormones come from? - it is from our fuel/food. Choose wisely.
You are an American, but your English accent suits the Asians. I have seen many videos of other Americans and Britishers where they talk with such speed and variations in tone intensity, which makes it difficult to understand. What I found in your videos is that you are clear and crisp, you convey your message clearly and sharply, and you talk with a constant tone and speed. You explain simplistically like you are a teacher of primary school children. That makes you my favourite.
Gold info! Thank you for sharing important information for our mental health. I don’t know what is going on lately, but I feel that everybody I know is distressed, and in some kind of dark pit.
Being a modern person is not so easy. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Mental health and addiction issues are a fully blown public health concerns. It is something that impacts so many people, of course if you have been given the gift of a Brain, you will have at least some concerns. Especially the past few years.
Great video today, as always, and a relevant topic to me. I found out I had low B12. My diet wasn't up to par. I started supplementing B12 per doc's orders and I noticed an uptick in energy. I also supplement, on my own accord, with the bioavailable form of Folate. I would say the difference after adding the Folate, was less impressive than when first adding the B12 in terms of energy increase and working memory.
Thanks again for your extremely informative videos and the relevant topics that you choose to discuss.
Luke
I'm glad you found some improvement with the B12, that was probably the predominant vitamin you needed and the folate was supplemental (less robust of a ressponse, but still probably doing something 😊). Thanks for sharing your experience. 👍🏽
Well said. Thank Ü. 🤗
@@DrTraceyMarks how much folate per day to get rid of inflamation? 🙂
What a superb explanation! I've seen a few of your vids now - all excellent in their clarity.
I take vitamins- b, magnesium, calcium really helps my depression
I'm so glad you made this video. I have treatment resistant depression (and CPTSD, GAD and PMDD) and had no idea how badly I needed B12. My doctor suggested Blood Builder for iron/B12 and it worked well but my levels still weren't as high as they should be. I added 2000 mg sublingual B12 on top of that about a year ago and it seriously changed my life. SSRIs still don't work for me but my energy levels, body aches and memory have noticeably improved. I'm not vegan but do eat meat only a few times a week and didn't realize that wasn't enough. I'd love to see a video on your thoughts on N-acetyl cistine. I added that to my repertoire about 6 months ago and have noticed an improvement with that as well. Love your content!
Proper nutrition is a huge key. I view mental health disorders as brain/nutritional/metabolic disorders. Food is medicine. It's a powerful intervention that's often overlooked. You already have a very good evidence of this.
Thank you for providing such helpful and practical information free! I wish your channel had been around when I was struggling with mental health issues as a young adult. I got there eventually, but only after years of trial and error and lots of blood tests. I’m so happy to see that the attitudes and information about mental health have changed in such a positive direction since I was a teenager. You are doing us all a great service; thank you Dr. Marks ❤
Absolutely True! Agreed.
Thank you for this video, as someone who started an antidepressant very recently. I also have always had low B-12 levels and this was a reminder to take my vitamins. My diet also sucks, but now I have another reason to improve it. Thank you for this and all the information you give on these topics.
Food can be medicine or a poison. It is a powerful precursor, it is what brain chemicals and hormones are derived from. So choose wisely. It'll make a huge difference.
Thank you for such informative and easy to understand videos. They are so helpful! Love your channel.
Thank you for what you do to help people. You’re a wonderful person.
I must share this video. ♥♥♥ Thank Ü so much, Dr. Tracey. 🥳
I was prescribed Deplin ( Rx L-Methylfolate) over 10 years. ago. It was like a miracle for me. I was so happy when it became available over the counter.
Which brand do you use?
Where are you finding it over the counter?
You are so helpful Dr Tracey. So glad I've found your channel ☺️
Very informative video. As always Doctor, thanks for enlightening us.
Thank you for the research Dr. Marks! It is really helpful, especially knowing many friends who suffer from Vitamin B12, but do not acknowledge it. 🎉😊❤
I'll go once step further and suggest more Vitamin D too. I take both due to cancer drugs zapping my energy, but after a few weeks it was like my antidepressant or my mood (or both) was finally working better. That's right, I'm saying LESS depression while on targeted therapy, that's less depression & anxiety than before cancer! Unexpected. Deeply appreciated.
I agree totally. Vitamin D is one very key ingredient that’s often overlooked. And it’s involved in so many processes in the body. I’m glad it’s making a difference for you! What else have you explored that’s been helpful? And how are coping with the loss of energy? That is so tough.
Hi Doctor Tracey, you are a great teacher and source of great information.
Thank you for your videos.
Tim in Dublin Ireland.
LOVE and appreciation Dr. Tracey, from Italy❣ 🟩⬜🟥
Excellent info Doc. Thanks and also just subbed.
Thank you so much!
My wife and I are both nurses and make use of methyl folate and b-12 in the ICU.
However, we never think about our own needs. We work overnight and overweight and both have used ssri’s as well as other antidepressants but never really thought about our needs for the same medication we routinely use for others.
You have really increased my positive outlook looking forward.
Thanks again
You deserve as much care, love, and compassion you give to others! And shift work is tough on your body, you’ll need to fortify yourself as much as possible, so you can continue your amazing work 😊 We nurses, have a heart of gold but put ourselves last and burn the candle at both ends. The best gift you can give each other and those you care about is to look after yourself.
Amazing as always, doc. Two counsins with history of depression are taking vitamin B complex. One noticied an immediate positve effect. The other one, from my perspective, seemed better as well, he is more social and talkative
Thank you! Off to Walmart.
Had a brutal b12 deficiency. If the storage is empty, b12 needs about one year to refill, that may be the reason why it didn't work already. Other b vitamins are faster to refill.
@kareendeveraux1847 ok i thought it was juat me because ive noticed after a couple days of taking b12 i get energy gradually. Like its as if all the pills i took for a couple days finally kicked in out of nowhere.
Thank you, i started fasting for health n was feeling great but fell off n went back to eating pretty bad.
Theres also a high probability that i have ADHD as i 'tick all the boxes' even i havent been diagnosed and have noticed my mood plummet over the past few weeks, since forgetting to take my b12 stopping fasting and taking chromium too (along with taking my anti anxiety meds). After watching your video I will make an extra effort to go back to fasting and resume taking my suppliments while keeping on top of the regular exercise..
Thank you again for this reminder... for a few days i have been feeling totally broken inside n couldnt put 2 n 2 together to figure out why!! Thank you again!!!
I appreciate all you do for the community!!❤
Thank you, doctor. You are a life saver. I follow your advice and it has helped me.
One hour with an uncommon mentor/guide can erase 10,000 hours of mistakes! 😊
Thanks Dr. Marks 🙏🏾
great advice, thank you
Thanks! I'm going to try it!
Thank you so much. As someone who has rheumatoid arthritis I can verify the connection between inflammation and depression. Before I was on effective treatment for RA and bipolar disorder, I found depression increased with flare ups in RA disease activity. I have been prescribed folic acid, I will try B12 too 😀
I believe there's a connection between inflammation and all brain disorders, and many brain disorders can be viewed as metabolic nutritional disorders. There's a definite correlation between these factors. It's fascinating how nutrition and inflammation are greatly linked as well.
Thanx dear Dr.Trace u info`s realy helps me. Thanx a lot.
Love this doctor
Thanks, doc!
Great info
Thank you so much
This is soooo good
Oh thank you doctor
Yep. I’ve been on it for years. Bad when I’m off it.
This is great information, and something I hadn't heard. I have heard that Acetyl L-Carnitine can help boost SSRIs specifically, but I had no idea about Folate. Interesting, as always!
Yes. NAC is also great for detoxing agent for our system in general and provides the precursor to make glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. So it can be very helpful.
I’ve noticed b-12 has really helped me. Thanks for your info doc
Its crazy this came up when yesterday I forced myself into a routine. I added b1 and b12 an hour after I took my antidepressant. I take fluoxitine, Biupropion and Naltrexone for alcohol use. Naltrexone and Biupropion together helped me lose weight after having my baby I didnt lose weight for 3 years. Im short 5'2 i went up to 180lb My kid is 4 now. Im down to 130 in a 8 months. I dont feel startved. Just a person on a journey to have a regular day like everyone else.
So I take these vitamins and yesterday I was full of energy. I made day of the dead bread trial run for the actual day. I was very focused and less on edge and angry. I dont really drink coffee because its a gateway for me to drink alcohol. I will use coffee to exhaustion, then energy drinks and then alcohol down the line. Idk why. Maybe im trying to do as much as I can before the deep depression sers in and I cant get out of bed.
You are a warrior! And a good momma 😊 The best thing you can do for your little one is to take good care of yourself. You need all the energy you can get to keep up with her. Nutrition is a huge key to mental and physical health. Have you explored further what else might be helpful for you? Do you have support to help you implement other lifestyle interventions?
This video describes me to a T. I have the MTHFR variant, overweight, inflammation, etc. thank you for this informative and concise video. Very helpful!
Me, too. I think that a lot of medical issues people suffer from could be eliminated if testing for MTHFR variants were more common and l- methylfolate were easier to get.
That sounds extremely challenging. How do you cope with this? How do you manage everything? Have you explored lifestyle changes and what’s been helpful?
@@genevalawrence801Agreed. Medical and mental conditions can also be greatly improved by targeting proper nutrition. So many of the conditions we deal with today can be resolved by implementing simple but powerful lifestyle interventions.
Thank you for this presentation. Clinical Pharmacology is an interesting area of medicine. I’m very grateful for this information as you have provided. I am 67. Bloods all good however like all medical professionals I’m keen to stave off dementia and aging related issues where I can. The vitamin B group supports vital functions. Many thanks for highlighting the augmentation of these two to aid in drug resistant conditions. Drug resistant depression hits patients hard. Consultation with their treating Dr. needs to occur asap so that such an intervention can be explored as you have suggested. This May not work for all but it’s a start. Cheers Colin.
I agree with your observation. Antidepressants do not work for everyone. Some people cannot tolerate them and others prefer not to be on them due to terrible side effects. And at the best of times their success rate is low. Something like 30-40%. So there needs to be additional interventions explored with patients. There’s hope and I believe a holistic approach is key as there’s no one size fit all approach that works for everyone.
Thank u
If I could only see a doc like her 😢 living in Canada with years long wait to see a psychiatrist
It's so difficult to wait when you're already struggling and not feeling well. It's a huge challenge on top of all you're going through. The mental health system is definitely in crisis, similar to finding family doctors. I've worked as a psychiatric RN for 17 years, and have seen the waitlists growing, for all mental health professionals. When I was working as a community mental health and addiction Nurse in a small community, I was booked solid a month ahead and had a waitlist.
What are you implementing in the meantime to help you feel better? There's lots of things that can be helpful while you wait. What have you explored, in terms of lifestyle and non pharmacological interventions? Do you have additional mental health support?
Dr Marks, as ever i'm so impressed by your ability to package complex science into an easily understandable video / lecture.
Thank you for this high-info-density presentation. It helps me piece a lot of things together and challenges some of my assumptions and outdated education
Very informative video. No nonsense and efficient. I'm a big fan of your videos. Thank you Dr. Marks.
One thing I'm confused about is that you state L-methylfolate is available by prescription in the US. However, I see it for sale OTC online by many supplement companies. Is there something different about the OTC and prescription versions (other than the prescribed version is made in a pharmaceutical grade facility that meets FDA standards)?
Thank you so much for this info.
You are so welcome!
Thank you, you are Gods child doing the sometimes cold hard work. . This is the conformation that a person/people seeking earnestly a sign in a society where we battle extremes such as force and need. God bless😔😔
Amen! God bless you too. Dr Marks is a wonderful Doctor.
this is great info. i also take b1 and b6 and i find that it helps
I been experiencing terrible brain fog, anhedonia and fatigue for the past 6 months to the point it was making my mental health worse because I would spend all day in bed and barely do anything. A month ago I started supplementing with iron bisglycinate and vitamin C, brain fog and fatigue gone. At night I also take magnesium (I been suffering from insomnia since 8 years ago) and I been able to sleep 8 hours straight and wake up with energy to do things and go to the gym every morning
Isn’t that amazing! Congrats! You’re taking charge of your mental health. Brain fog and fatigue are really challenging. You’ve figured out a way to nourish your body to health. Have you explored further additional powerful nutritional interventions?
Seriously I have derealisation and worst anxiety plz guide me 😢😢😢
@@kamranhussain6117 How do you experience that? What does it mean to you?
@@NeseretBemient I got few panic attacks in December 2021 and since that day I am feeling like dream all movie and kind of fake and heart palpitations like someone put rubber on my head I don’t understand what is this . I have lost smell to some extent and my concentration is way of taking is different and I forget everything in 15 seconds. I do walk in week 4 times and I do 13 hours consistently construction job . But fear even I live In abroad and have no feelings for home and mom dad why this is .
@@NeseretBemient and I m very unlucky man ever I moved to new country and the first day I wake up with derealisation and that country was my childhood dream but God knows I very normal person and humble too . When ever I see I tried my best to see the country that I am here but look like dream 😴.
Hi Dr. Marks, always a fan of your videos. I will add that at times during this video, the shifting / pulsing background screen did make portions of this video difficult to watch -- was a bit hard on my eyes!
I know that B vitamins can help. In places where socialized medicine is practiced. They often put patients on heavy doses of B vitamins before they start antidepressants. We know these meds are expensive. And of course B vitamins are good for everyone, with or without depression. Also, vit B for low energy. ❤
Some of us have a bad gene on the MTHFR pair that means that we can't use folate from dietary sources. Unfortunately, this isn't routinely tested for. I know because if you're a woman who has had issues with initiating or maintaining pregnancy, you get tested. Anyway, if you have this genetic mutation, you need to supplement with l-methylfolate. Given that a lot of folks never learn that they have this mutation, I wonder whether some of the people who present as medication resistant actually have the inability to use folate from diet anyway.
I recently took a course in metabolic psychiatry/metabolic ketogenic therapy, an emerging field in psychiatry, that views mental health disorders as metabolic disorders. Essentially, mental health disorders are looked as "inflammation" in the brain. I can attest to this as I have been able to put an antidepressant induced bipolar in remission, after 13 years of struggling through a holistic approach, but mainly with ketogenic nutritional therapy. The ketogenic diet has over 100 years of scientific research as treatment for Epilepsy. I believe inflammation and oxidative stress is a culprit in many illnesses and I'm not surprised it is partly the case with depression. Thank you for sharing and raising awareness about this.
Dear Dr. Marks, Thank you for all of your videos! I'm suffering with depression and anxiety. What are some of the latest drugs that you would suggest? Thanks again! Mark
I'm vegan and I have to supplement B12 and methylfolate, but the later is very expensive so I don't buy it sometimes. Whenever I stop taking methylfolate I see a huge decrease of my mental health, it's not coincidence. I'm autistic and ADHD, and I see an increase in my symptoms too.
I'm vegan and didn't know about methylfolate, i think ive been taking smth else!
Then get over yourself and have meat at least once a week
@@Andy_JJ I eat meat every day and absolutely love it. I follow the ketogenic diet and it has made incredible difference. I share my experience on my UA-cam channel. However, I respect everyone's lifestyle choice. There's no one size fit all approach. To each their own.
@@Andy_JJonce a weak? isnt that too little?
I find Vitamin D goes well with antidepressants especially in fall/winter
Vitamin D is excellent. It's involved in so many processes in the body.
We do have solid research on anti-inflammatories for depression. There is pretty supportive evidence for Celebrex from what I have seen.
I take a supplement with L-methyl folate and methylated B12
Ty
~90% of serotonin is made in the gut. Typical America diet is notorious for ruining the gut with controversial pesticides and artificial foods. After switching to organic and taking probiotics + B-complex daily (and cutting screen-time) my depression miraculously eased 🤔 go figure. Expensive but less expensive than paying for therapy and synthetic drugs. Hopefully this helps someone
Also highly recommend l-glutamine powder taken on empty stomach in the morning and a credible magnesium supplement at night. These 4 supplements have been game changers and I no longer suffer from clinical depression. Just ensure the brands are reputable as supplements can be scammy like the US healthcare system
It's always good to hear others' experiences👍🏻
Hi thank you for the great videos 🥳Are there strong benefits as well with OCD and L methyl folate ? Thank😊 you
Gold 🔥🔥
Dr. Tracey Marks sorry this is not relevant to this video but I am about to start EMDR and would love to know more about it and what your opinion is on this subject.
I was on antidepressants/anxiety for a few months and the dosage was increased and increased because it was not responding. Since I was a teen I noticed that I would do well with a B complex supplement. My mom was a nervous wreck and she took a B complex so she started me on it. I took it on and off through my 20s then in my thirties didn’t take it anymore so I think that is why I was anxious, low vitamins and big pharma thought I needed dopamine and it wasn’t working.
I’m going to go look for a good B Complex.
Many people do not respond to antidepressants and some people cannot tolerate them. There’s hope and many powerful lifestyle interventions that can make a huge difference. What else have you explored? I share my experience with antidepressant treatment (I didn’t respond well either) and I found a holistic approach to treating mental illness worked best. I share this on my UA-cam channel. I’m an RN with 17 years of experience in the conventional mental health system. What’s your biggest challenge right now?
Dr. Marks that you for all you do it is really life saving. I read your book and it was really eye opening. I had a question for you. My main challenge with antidepressants (both sertraline and fluoxetine) was that they upset my stomach and GI track that all of their benefits really were lost due to my inability to digest any food. Have seen other types that don’t have such and effect?
I’m not a clinician. Have you tried digestive enzymes and a high quality probiotic?
@@privatename40 I’m off of them for now but I’ll try if I get back on them thank you for the suggestion!
Thank you, yes. A few years ago I had extremely low b12. Was giving myself my own shots, now using sublingual.
Definitely incorporating functional medicine. Don’t want antidepressants ever again.
Vitamin D3 is important to you overall health as well, and most people are deficient in it. Like you, I never want to take another antidepressant or any type of psychotropic drug, such as benzodiazipines! They are horribly addictive and damaging to your health! Like you say, functional medicine is a God send. I wish more doctors practiced medicine this way instead of providing only sick care and pills.....pills for everything! It sure benefits "Big Pharma", drug manufacturers, however!
Could you please share which brand of b12 are you currently using?! Greatly appreciated 🙏❤
I can appreciate your sentiment. I had a nightmare experience on antidepressants. I did not tolerate them. I was diagnosed with antidepressant induced bipolar disorder. This happens to a percentage of people who are treated on antidepressants and can wreck a havoc on a person’s life. What was your experience with antidepressants?
Thank you for this video. I have begun discussing supplements with my doctors to treat my conditions. I have taken a blood test and was determined to be B12 deficient. I started vitamin B12 a month ago, but haven't really seen any improvements. I will discuss L-methylfolate with my psychiatrist as well.
That’s a great step!! And you want to give it some time because the levels take time to build in your system. And there are many more powerful lifestyle interventions you can implement to improve your mental health. What’s your biggest challenge right now?
Or maybe if its a vitamin from the store maybe try a different brand. A lot of vitamins dont have a trace of what the bottle says.
This is golden. Since using liquid B Complex, its been a game changer for my overall mood and wellbeing.The liquid version is better imo. If anyone from the UK is interested in particular brand I use, let me know becuase it took me a while to find one that I am very happy with x
OOh yes please Rachel. Congratulations on your success. I am in Essex. Thank you in advance for the recommendation I would be grateful. Kate.
@sunkat76 hey Kate. It's called
hair +bod. Liquid B Complex : ) - blessings.
@@RachelLondon Hi Rachel, Thank you very much. Found it!. Best wishes to you too.
Good info. What I didn't hear mentioned was supplements that help me available anywhere: methylated b9 and methylated b12. I find it helps me. A year ago I had severe memory, mental, cognitive and vision problems. I have a ways to go but doing much better in that regard a year later. It's not the only intervention though I feel the supplements helped for me. The Walsh Protocol is about these topics. Cheers. Michael B
b9 is folate. She mentions both of these.
@@i8dpie yes AND no. Methylated Folate is NOT Folate. The theory is many people do not process b12 correctly because of this. The methylated version gets around it. Look up Robert Walsh if interested. All I know is I believe it may help me. It is easy to get, safe and not much more than the non-methylated versions.
@@i8dpie she mentioned a prescription version. That has the methylation also. What she didn't say is that a methylated formulation is available. My multi says L-5-methyl.... etc. Cheers.
This seems close to the information I'm looking for - is there any over the counter option that is similar to the l-methylfolate prescription?
@@obcl8569 I am just a patient but my understanding is you just need any products that say methylated b9 and methylated b12. Just take the amount recommended on the bottle. I found a high quality multi with both by asking a NP at the health / pharmacy.
@Dr. Tracey Marks, what’s the recommended therapeutic dose of L-Methylfolate? You mentioned the dosage for Folic Acid, but not L-Methylfolate. Thank you!
Not a Dr but typically it is available as a 7.5 mg or 15 mg. Your medical professional can determine what strength is best for your needs.
Dr.Tracey, thank you for making these videos. Can you please share what you know of what antidepressant is most likely NOT to gain weight. I know it’s not medical advice. I really appreciate your wealth of knowledge. Ty 🙏🏻
Everyone reacts differently to antidepressants. In my 17 years a psychiatric RN, it’s often trial and error until you find something that works without giving you terrible side effects. And some people cannot tolerate antidepressants and or do not work for them. Also most psychiatric medications in general have weight gain as an effect- it’s not a “side effect”, it’s the full effect of the medication. What’s your biggest challenge right now? Have you explored lifestyle interventions?
Welbutrin it actually does the opposite
So true - one of my worst(and the best😂) and longest episodes of bipolar was due to a very low vitamin D levels. Though I was physically active early in the mornings and late evening (in a swimming pool) I wasn't getting any sun in a tropical country, I was jetting around South East Asia and was spending most of my time indoors or in aeroplanes long haul travel. So I took off from my job, started working out in hot sun, along with some supplements to get out of the episode.
But strangely, my Psychiatrist couldn't figure this out, he was throwing meds at me and increased lithium dose. I figured it out myself from internet. In fact I diagnosed my bipolar myself from internet in the 90s after seeing 3 psychiatrists including one in US.
exactly wat happened to me. as s soon as i took magnesium and B complex it all started working again.
Hello! Does this only apply if you're running low on that B vitamin already? Last time I had bloodwork done, I wasn't low on the B vitamins my PCP tested for. So, I don't feel comfortable taking B vitamins when they're already at acceptable levels...
I hope to be half as smart and well spoken as this doctor one day.
I live in France, and we get reimbursed fully only if we do not take the name brand, because it is more expensive. The alternative brands are supposed to be the same molecule, but the adjuvent varies and it makes a night and day difference. If I switch alternative brands, most of the times the anti depressant does not work and I get a very dangerous withdrawal syndrome, as if I had stopped the meds.
I have a mutation on the MTHFR gene. That’s why I take L-methylfolate. Maybe it also helps people with high BMIs, but it’s essential for people with my gene mutation.
this is very interesting. Knowledge is power. I am glad you found this out and have found a way through this. How did you get tested? Was it done privately? I am in the UK.
@@sunkat76 I went to a primary care physician and I told him about the struggles I’d been having since middle school, and how no antidepressant seemed to do much for me. He said that I might have a genetic abnormality, so he sent me to the lab to get it checked. A few days later, he called and told me that I did have a gene mutation! He told me to get some L-methyl folate, and I did, and now my life is different!
My life is so much better, although it’s still hard sometimes!
@@michiganabigail But you are stronger today than yesterday. yes I find it hard too sometimes. I try and find a reason for why it was hard that day and realise that 'this too shall pass'. there are good days and bad days. I do find this learning and sharing helpful though.
@@michiganabigail It's definitely a journey. What's your biggest challenge right now? what is hard for you?
I was blamed by my psychiatrist for being treatment resistant. This, plus incorrectly labelling me, really put back my treatment.
I am so sorry you had to endure that. That is horrible and unhelpful. no -one knows until it actually happens to them. Keep going you are doing a great job. For years i struggled and had to do a lot of learning not just what the Doctor said. the Psych never told me anything about Vitamins and how helpful they can be. I have been trying them and things like the B vitamin complex massively helped plus the D3&K2.
That's such a terrible way to treat someone who is already down, it's like kicking them while they're on the ground. Psychiatric medications do not work for everyone - some people cannot tolerate them, others get horrific side effects, and yet many more prefer not to be on them. There's a huge non-compliance issue in psychiatry, not because those medications work for everyone and they're great. Even at the best of times, they work partially - 30-40% of the time.
People who are "treatment resistant" which by the way is the wrong label to put on anyone. The question is why are these medications not working for them? And what else can be explored that would make a difference for them? What can we do to alleviate your suffering if this doesn't work? What else can be done? what else? what else?
That takes curiosity, time, patience, persistence, hope, integrity, and compassion. It's easy to label someone "treatment resistant" and wash your hands off of their care. How do you sleep at night with yourself when you know your client is still deeply suffering? How awful and dehumanizing!
There's so much that can be explored to help a human being. There is always hope for everyone. No one is hopeless. No one should have to battle mental illness on their own. Certainly they don't need a final judgement and left to their own devices.
How are you doing now? What supports do you have in place to look after yourself? Do you have access to a mental health advocate? Or more compassionate mental health professionals? Best regards,
@@sunkat76 It's because psychiatrist go to school for 13 years, first 8 years to medical school, and then residency for 5 years and get zero training on nutrition. The Hippocratic oath all physicians/psychiatrist take says "I will use those dietary regimens which will benefit my patients according to my greatest ability and judgment, and I will do no harm or injustice to them." This is the oath from the Greek physician Hippocrates, who is considered the "father of modern medicine".
Everyone talks about "do not harm" but no one talks about what comes before that. He knew nutrition was important even back then. Well, Hippocrates would turn over his grave if he saw the land escape of nutrition and the mess that is our modern health care system. Not to mention all the ailments that people suffer from, and premature deaths caused that could be prevented by implementing simple lifestyle interventions.
I agree with you, mental health professionals who hand out labels such as "treatment resistance" have no empathy, compassion, or creativity. Would you do that if it was your child? Your brother/sister? Your father/mother? "Nope, there's nothing else we can do for you. You're doomed for life." How terrifying!
I have a ‘compound heterozygous’ genetic polymorphism that reduces my folate processing.
Deplin worked great for me years ago. I, then found another superb folate that works just as well and it is a lot cheaper.
Hmmm this is something I will try. Being depressed, geez I think I have been depressed for most of my life I feel. I have however found that exercise is something that is, in my case, related to being depressed. I used Abilify and I was flying!! The madness is that my doctor took me off this drug because I only slept 3-5 hours a night - I crashed after they took me off the med. I fell back in my old habit of not exercising, feeling lousy, it is as if my mind has given up on feel joy.
Were you properly tapered off of Abilify? Depending on how long you were on it, you could have been experiencing withdrawal effects as well as symptoms of your illness or combination thereof. It is really important not to stop any psychiatric medications cold turkey, and people are often weaned off medications too fast, which can cause the "crash". It is an awful experience.
How are you doing now? How's your sleep?
I’m going to ask my psychiatrist about this. Several years ago when I was hospitalized I believe they did test my inflammation level and it was high, but they never mentioned anything about it. Also, I am very overweight, so it might be why I’m not seeing improvement with my medication.
I have learned that I have an inherited gene mutation that makes it impossible for me to absorb synthetic forms of vitamins. I have suffered from depression and more for longer than I can remember. I take a multivitamin that lists all natural ingredients with no synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals. It has made an amazing difference in how I feel. I have been researching all that is mentioned here and agree 💯% that many symptoms can be improved and managed by proper nutrition.
For us mthfr individuals methylated bioavailable vitamins and a good diet is essential
@@rhondamills2621 yes. MTHFR (Drs laugh because I refer to it as the MotherF*cker gene) 😉
@@lunajewel5211 How do you get tested for it? All the women in my family have vitamin deficiencies, most of us eat healthy, too. 3 generations so far. Could thar be it?
Nutrition is huge. It is one of the most overlooked, simple, powerful lifestyle interventions. So many people can benefit from it and it has minimal to zero "side effects". In fact it has a lot of beneficial effects.
The irony is that many antidepressant cause massive weight gain, which creates inflammation…
Yes, they do. That's the full effect of the medication. It's also responsible for what's known as metabolic syndrome - increased risk of stroke, prediabetes/diabetes, increased cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and obesity. All of these conditions are co-relation with high levels of inflammation. So you somewhat address one issues, and create a host of many more. Now, people have to choose between their mental health and physical health? That's not a choice at all!
Please make a video about the medication Tramadol. It is a miracle.
I use this but biggest difference for me was Thiamine in TTFD form. That is STRONG so need to start very slow. I use 50mg capsules and took maybe 1/4 of the content to start and few month later Im at half capsule at the moment.
Hi dr marks.. this is so interesting for me because for years I told my psychiatrist that I feel a lot better if I eat bananas everyday. If I eat two bananas I get all my energy back and my mood immediately lifts.
I was told that it wasn't possible.
No wonder they look like a smile 😊
You are the expert on your body and brain 🧠 Good for you for tuning in to your body and listening! 😊
My mental health stabilized when I went gluten-free. Fifteen years on and off Lexapro for depression and anxiety and all I really needed was to stop eating gluten. Even now if I cheat on gluten within hours I start having mood swings like raging anger.
How long did you go before you felt results from coming off gluten
Pretty powerful! I also eliminated sugar, gluten, dairy and implemented additional simple, but powerful lifestyle interventions. I am a psychiatric RN with 17 years' experience in the conventional mental health system. I advocate for holistic approach in treatment of mental disorders. I think it is really important to utilize non-pharmacological interventions along with medications as needed. I'm glad you found something that made a difference.
@@moderaterevolution504 Excellent question. Personally, I noticed it immediately, it just depends on how long you've been eating gluten and how much damage it has caused in your body.
But the difference when you stop is stark. Keep in mind some people have sensitivity and adverse reaction, and allergy to gluten, so the results depend on how much you're affected as well.
The first thing to do is eliminate it from your diet, then re-introduce it and notice how you feel. Then you can decide if it is right for you. What have you noticed with gluten?
@@NeseretBemient Nothing, but I eat it for almost every meal so, no way to know if its effecting me or not. Just have depression, and looking for things to try.
@@moderaterevolution504 Gluten, if it is affecting you is known to cause weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, blood sugar roller coaster, energy crash etc. Many of these are similar to symptoms of depression. It would be worth to looking in to. Let me know how it goes. I share additional tips and strategies around a holistic approach on my UA-cam channel. Let me know if I can be of help.
Ha! Just started taking this 2 months ago! It's taken about that long for me to start thinking it works, but something is working. Too bad insurance doesn't pay for it, nor does the VA pharmacy, so $208 per month i pay for a 30 day prescription.
Sometimes it just needs time to build in your system. What else have your explored in terms of lifestyle interventions?
has there been any RCT on this additional benefit on top of antidepressants
PPI's chronic use
We have a natural antidepressant here in Kenya called Khat, these days it is made into a juice. It works wonders against depression.
I lived 35km outside of Nairobi for two years. Such a beautiful place and wonderful people! Is Khat a herb? What is it?
@@returntowholeness4369 it is a twig and leaves filled with natural cathinone, a precursor to L DOPA, the last enzyme in your brain that helps the cortex function properly.
Hi I have widespread neuropathic itch. Prescribed Amitriptyline but it’s no longer working. I’ve introduced vitamin b complex. What else could add?
I suffered a treatment resistant depression and developed tardive dyskinesia. You would not wish this movement disorder on your worst enemies. It is absolutely horrifying! If you develop tics as a result from taking medication IMMEDIATELY STOP 🛑
Never take antidepressants or antipsychotics without a full regiment of vitamins and minerals.‼️
If you already developed a movement disorder for which there is NO ANSWER please consider giving dexamfetamine a try. It saved my life and believe me, I suffered the worst case scenario 🤷🏻♀️
I'm so sorry to hear about this. I had a nightmare experience on antidepressants. I was diagnosed with antidepressant induced bipolar disorder and suffered from that for 13 years. I also had adverse reactions to so many psychiatric medications and had to stop immediately. I got steven Johnson's syndrome on Lamotrigine and had to be hospitalized. I share my experiences with psychiatric medications on my UA-cam channel. I also believe in a holistic approach to mental health and wellness.
Glad to hear you're feeling better. Thank you for sharing your experiences with others and warning them. It's such a terrifying experience when you have adverse effects and toxicity to medications. Some people will get irreversible effects from these medications.
I've witnessed this in my 17 years as a psychiatric RN, in the conventional mental health system. So many people do not get relief from their mental illness, and then they have to contend with awful effects of their medications. Weight gain, brain fog, no energy, sleeping all the time, no libido, no creativity, sigma and shame. No one should be subjected to these things.
As well, there's hope. There are many things that can be helpful. There's no one size fit all approach that works for everyone. So don't give up! I share my approach and what worked for me, which was simple, but powerful lifestyle interventions on my channel.
Have you explored additional lifestyle interventions and do you have enough support?
I took lexapro, effexor + lamictal, anafranil + paroxetine, seroquel + lamictal, lithium, depakote + carmazebine with a minimal effect if not any. Once a doctor ordered b12 + homocysteine levels, we got 25+ homocystine (under 15 normal) and deficiency b12. After correcting them; tried deluxetine + mitrazapine and got remission.
Geez, sounds like me. I tried so many antidepressants and none worked. Got tested, and so many vitamin deficiencies. Even eating healthy, I still had them.
Holy shit, effexor, seroquel and depakote... hope you're doing alright.
I hope I'm understanding this correctly - so 15mg of Folic Acid would be the equivalent of a prescription L-methylfolate?
Too bad i watched this moments AFTER my monthly medication management appointment, otherwise I could've requested a Rx for it!
Please mma can I take the folate alongside with vit b 12
So eating nutritional yeast potentially is a good way to treat depression then?