title: Vitamin C as an adjuvant for treating major depressive disorder and suicidal behavior, a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are some animal studies suggesting the possible role of vitamin C for treating depression. However, the efficacy of vitamin C for treating adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) has never been examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  This 8-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial included adult patients with major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Twenty-one patients in the treatment group received citalopram plus vitamin C and the 22 patients in the control group received citalopram plus placebo. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms at baseline, week 2, week 4, and week 8. We also checked for the presence of adverse effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While depression symptoms decreased in both groups during this trial, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P = .5). The rate of remission, partial response, and complete response was not different between the two groups. The rate of adverse effects were not different between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adding vitamin C to citalopram did not increase the efficacy of citalopram in MDD patients. Vitamin C plus citalopram is as effective as placebo plus citalopram for treating adult patients with suicidal behavior. No serious adverse effect for this combination was identified during this trial.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  This trial was registered at http://www.irct.ir . The registration number of this trial was: IRCT201312263930N31 . Date registered: 5 July 2014.
authors: Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz, Iran. sahraian@sums.ac.ir.
authors: Ali
authors: A
authors: Sahraian
authors: Research Center for Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz, Iran. ghanizadeha@hotmail.com.|Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. ghanizadeha@hotmail.com.
authors: Ahmad
authors: A
authors: Ghanizadeh
authors: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shiraz, Iran. fkazemeini2012@gmail.com.
authors: Fereshteh
authors: F
authors: Kazemeini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D015283:Citalopram; D001205:Ascorbic Acid