The researchers found that taking folic acid with a prescription reduced the likelihood of the study sample resorting to self-harm or attempting suicide by 44 percent.
There were just under five incidents of attempted suicide and self-harm per 100,000 people each month, compared with a rate of just over 10 per 100,000 people during the months when they weren’t using folic acid.
When researchers weighed other factors such as age, gender, and date ratings, Mental healthHowever, folic acid use was still associated with a 44 percent lower risk of attempted suicide and self-harm.
Lead researcher Robert Gibbons, a professor at the University of Chicago, said: "To prove that folic acid has a direct effect on suicidal behavior would require extensive clinical trial".
Gibbons added: "Our findings do not prove that folic acid per se reduces suicide risk"according to the agency "UPI" for the news
He continued: "Folic acid is inexpensive, widely available, and has no side effects. If this relationship is confirmed to be causal, then we should consider all the lives that could be saved".
Previous research has linked low levels of folic acid in the blood depressed.
When evaluating patients with depression, some mental health professionals order blood tests to measure folic acid, as well as vitamins "Dal" And"B 12"Deficiencies in these nutrients have also been linked to symptoms of depression.
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The study, conducted by scientists at the University of Chicago The American newspaper, whose results were published in the journal “Gamma Psychiatry”, data of 800,000 Americans, who obtained prescriptions that include Folic acid Between 2012 and 2017.
The researchers found that taking folic acid with a prescription reduced the likelihood of the study sample resorting to self-harm or attempting suicide by 44 percent.
There were just under five incidents of attempted suicide and self-harm per 100,000 people each month, compared with a rate of just over 10 per 100,000 people during the months when they weren’t using folic acid.
When researchers weighed other factors such as age, gender, and date ratings, Mental healthHowever, folic acid use was still associated with a 44 percent lower risk of attempted suicide and self-harm.
“To prove that folic acid has a direct effect on suicidal behavior, a large clinical trial would be required,” said lead researcher Robert Gibbons, a professor at the University of Chicago.
Gibbons added: “Our findings do not prove that folic acid in itself reduces the risk of suicide,” according to the UPI news agency.
He continued, “Folic acid is inexpensive, widely available and has no side effects. If this relationship is confirmed to be causal, then we should consider all lives that could be saved.”
Previous research has linked low levels of folic acid in the blood depressed.
When evaluating depression patients, some mental health professionals order blood tests to measure the level of folic acid, as well as vitamins “D” and “B12”, as deficiency of these nutrients has been linked to symptoms of depression as well.