title: Effect of folic acid supplementation on mood and serotonin response in healthy males.
abstract: Evidence suggests that low folate status may be detrimental to mood and associated with depleted cerebrospinal fluid levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT). A placebo-controlled trial was carried out to determine the effect of folic acid supplementation (100 microg for 6 weeks followed by 200 microg for a further 6 weeks) upon subjective mood (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule) and biochemical markers of mood (5-HT) in healthy males (n 23). Blood samples were obtained at baseline (week 0) and during the intervention at week 6 and week 12. Subjective mood assessments were obtained at week 0 and week 12. The results showed an increase in serum and erythrocyte folate concentrations (P=0.02 and P=0.003, respectively) and a corresponding decrease in plasma homocysteine (P=0.015) in response to the folic acid intervention. Neither subjective mood nor 5-HT levels, however, were significantly altered in response to the change in folate status. Folic acid given at physiological doses did not appear to improve the mood of healthy folate-replete individuals over a 12-week period. Further research is needed to address the effect of folic acid supplementation or of longer duration or increased dose, particularly in the face of sub-optimal folate status.
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stewart-Knox
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bradbury
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pentieva
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helander
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: McNulty
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000187:drug effects*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015930:Diet Records; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; D012701:Serotonin; D005492:Folic Acid