People with depression often don't, according to a study of 101 depressed men and women evaluated by the New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City. Your body needs B 6 in order to manufacture the hormone serotonin, which seems to play a role in regulating your mood. Many drugs, including those containing estrogen, can interfere with the absorption of vitamin B 6 . This may be why some women experience depression after starting oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy. Vitamin B 6 may be particularly helpful for women on the Pill or for those who grapple with premenstrual depression, says Dr. Bloomfield.
Some researchers suggest that the B vitamins are even more effective when taken as a group.
One study found that elderly people with depression who took supplements of thiamin , riboflavin and vitamin B 6 along with antidepressant medication showed more improvement than those taking medication alone. The safest, most convenient way to get all of your Bs is to invest in a B-complex supplement, says Dr. Bloomfield. Look for a supplement that contains at least ten milligrams each of thiamin , riboflavin and vitamin B 6 and 100 micrograms of folic acid , he suggests, and take it twice a day. If your diet fails to supply all of the vitamin C you need, doctors know that your mental as well as physical health may be at stake. Depression is a well-documented symptom of scurvy, a disease that results from severe deficiency of vitamin C .