Deplin (L-methylfolate Ca)

(l-methylfolate-ca)

Generic name: l-methylfolate [ L-METH-il-FOE-late ]
Brand names: Deplin, L-Methylfolate Formula, XaQuil XR, Zervalx, Vilofane-DP, Duleek-DP, L-Methylfolate Forte, Elfolate, Denovo
Dosage forms: oral capsule (15 mg; 7.5 mg); oral tablet (15 mg; 7.5 mg); oral tablet, extended-release (30 mg)
Drug class: Vitamins

–Drugs.com

In a nutshell, reduced folate acid/MTHR conversion can cause depressive symptoms. The theory is that if folic acid is not producing functional cells or the body has reduced (messenger) neurons, thus the mood may become more depressed or treatment can become resistant. Also, note at the bottom there may be multiple reasons that will cause folate acid to be low so it’s not always the body’s fault. Therefore, increasing vitamins, healthier eating/lifestyle, and other little changes might be necessary to improve your overall mental health.

Science Stuff: Levomefolic acid is an active metabolite of folic acid and a methyl group donor in one-carbon metabolism reactions. It regulates important cellular functions such as DNA biosynthesis, gene expression regulation, amino acid synthesis and metabolism, and myelin synthesis and repair. As the only form of folate that can cross the blood-brain barrier, it acts as a cofactor in the production of monoamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine 6. Levomefolic acid is also involved in red blood cell formation 11. –DrugBank.com

-DEPLIN^® is the most prescribed product in its class and is the only product with 15 mg of Metafolin^®*, which is branded active folate. Metafolin^® is clinically proven and has been widely studied in over 25 clinical trials as registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. –Deplin.com

Pros:

I Love Alternative Health: I have patients that have better responses to natural products versus antidepressants, mood stabilizers, etc. More information about Complementary Health.
Fewer Side-Effects and/or Interactions: this is true for natural supplements, vitamins, and similar options. Usually, brands are more tolerable than OTC or even with food intake, so this may a good option for those immunocompromised or who have autoimmune disorders such as Crohn’s disease.

Cons:

Costs/Availability: most pharmacies suggest/encouraged OTC vitamins due to not having them available via prescriptions and it’s usually cheaper than having to worry about co-pays… so you may want to trial OTC before prescribing the brand formularies.
Mechanism of Action: sometimes brand vitamins suggest it can take up to 2 weeks to notice improvements but with OTC (over-the-counter) vitamins and dietary changes (eating meat), patients may have a quicker and better response.