Folic acid enhances lithium prophylaxis.
A double-blind trial was carried out to investigate the effect on affective morbidity of a daily supplement of 200 micrograms folic acid or a matched placebo in a group of 75 patients on lithium therapy. During the trial the patients with the highest plasma folate concentrations showed a significant reduction in their affective morbidity. Patients who had their plasma folate increased to 13 ng/ml or above had a 40% reduction in their affective morbidity. It is suggested that a daily supplement of 300-400 micrograms folic acid would be useful in long-term lithium prophylaxis.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011897:Random Allocation
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D005492:Folic Acid; D008094:Lithium