What is Deplin
Deplin (L-Methylfolate) is an amazing medical food that has revolutionized my practice of medicine! It is an augmentation strategy that when added to an antidepressant medication can take someone from partial remission (some remaining symptoms of depression) to the absence of depressive symptoms when on an antidepressant alone! I have literally seen miracles in my patients being treated with it!
You might be asking what is medical food? I visualize it between a supplement on one side, supplementing what your body may or may not be able to produce and a medicine on that other end of the spectrum, since this product has had clinical research to back up it’s efficacy or effectiveness.
How Medical Foods Work
Clinically, we are either genetically homozygous having two bad genes, not able to convert folic acid at all to L-Methylfolate, heterozygous, meaning we possess one good gene and one bad gene and are only able to convert 50% of the folic acid in our food to L-Metylfolate or we have two good genes meaning we can covert 100% of folic acid to L-Methylfolate and be able to get it through the blood-brain barrier to help make the building blocks of the neurotransmitters, Serotonin, Norepinephrine and Dopamine, so that we are able to get to remission of our depression, granted if we eat our green leafy vegetables! L-Metylfolate is important because it is the only version of Folic Acid that can cross the blood-brain barrier to make it to our brains. Because about 60% of the population has the genetic variants, Deplin is an important addition.
Practical Experience
In my practice, I have also incorporated genetic testing using Genesight Genetic testing as a tool to determine if one is homozygous for the genetic deficiency meaning again that they have two bad genes, heterozygous or homozygous for the two good genes, so that we can determine where one lies on the spectrum with this buccal swab testing and feedback within a week. These genetic tests are done in my office, the sample is then Fedexed out. I’ve also used Deplin by itself for those who can’t handle the side effects of the anti-depressants.
With using the results of the Genesight testing tool, we get a true visual of what we should expect with adding Deplin. It takes some of the guesswork out of just trying an antidepressant without any guidance. Genesight also gives me interpretive results on other panels, such as, antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, stimulants and mood-stabilizers. This has truly helped change the practice of psychiatry. Remission of depression is made a true reality and a goal that I strive for when treating my patients. Much of the time, most of my patients are only needing appointments maybe twice a year because they are in remission. This can now happen. This has made it so that so many patients no longer need to continue suffering with residual depressive symptoms needlessly impacting their lives, decreasing their quality of life and impairing their ability to work.