Every week, I set aside time to read about diagnosing and treating mental disorders so I can keep improving. This week’s topic? Folate and its role in depression.
If you’ve ever had a patient present for a psych eval and rattle off the handful of supplements they take—or worked with a colleague who regularly checks vitamin levels—you might’ve felt skeptical. I’ve been there too. But digging into the research on folate shifted my perspective.
It turns out that when it comes to folate and depression, there’s good evidence supporting its role. But—here’s the kicker—not all forms of folate are equally effective.
Pop Quiz: What’s the Best Folate Form for Depression?
Which of these forms of folate is most effective in treating depression?
- A. Folic acid
- B. Folinic acid
- C. l-Methylfolate
- D. They’re all equally effective
👉 Click here to find out the answer in this quick-read (or 8-minute podcast episode) from The Carlat Report. It’s a great resource for psychiatric providers, offering information in multiple formats like blogs, podcasts, and videos.
Understanding the best folate form for depression can make a real difference in patient care—especially when treating those who haven’t responded well to standard antidepressants.
Why This Matters for PMHNPs
As a PMHNP, staying up-to-date on these kinds of clinical pearls can expand your toolkit and help tailor care to individual patient needs. And if you’ve ever felt skeptical about vitamins, this is one area where science might just surprise you.
Want More Support?
It’s definitely helpful to understand how to prescribe more effectively, but what about the other huge aspect of our work days that take much of our time…
If charting is one of the stressors you’d like to cut down on, check out my Psychiatric Templates Bundle which can help you create clear, efficient notes—even on your busiest days seeing back-to-back patients.