Skip Navigation



Family Practice Advance Access published online on June 17, 2005
Family Practice, doi:10.1093/fampra/cmi040
This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
22/5/532    most recent
cmi040v1
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Williams, A.-l.
Right arrow Articles by Katz, D. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Williams, A.-l.
Right arrow Articles by Katz, D. L.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
Received August 27, 2004
Accepted January 27, 2005

Article

The role for vitamin B-6 as treatment for depression: a systematic review

Anna-leila Williams 1*, Anne Cotter 2, Alyse Sabina 1, Christine Girard 1, Jonathan Goodman 1, and David L. Katz 1

1 Yale Prevention Research Center, 130 Division Street, Derby, CT 06418, USA
2 Associates in Rehabilitative Medicine, Livingston, NJ

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Anna-leila Williams, E-mail: Williams{at}yalegriffinprc.org


  Abstract

Background. Major depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and among the 10 most frequent indications for using alternative medicine therapies, especially dietary supplements.

Objective. To assess the evidence evaluating vitamin B-6 supplementation as treatment for depression.

Methods. Medline, Psychinfo, AMED, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched from database inception through September 2001. All randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, intervention studies, case-control studies, reviews, and case reports examining the evidence behind vitamin B-6 in depression among humans were selected. No limits were placed for demographics or co-morbidities. Only English language papers were abstracted and assessed for trial quality. Two abstractors independently evaluated each study, then reconciled findings. As data were available, between group treatment effect size was noted or, as needed, calculated. When studies reported outcome effects using multiple measures, data were abstracted to permit the greatest possible comparisons among papers.

Results. Ten articles met inclusion criteria; three reviews, one case report, five RCTs, and one intervention study. There was no common outcome measure among all studies, eliminating opportunity for direct comparison of effect sizes. As an alternate means of comparison, effects were plotted as they related to the null hypothesis.

Conclusion. Viewed as a whole, meaningful treatment effect of vitamin B-6 for depression in general was not apparent. However, examination of papers addressing depression in premenopausal women only, reveals a consistent message about the value of using vitamin B-6 supplementation. Further study of vitamin B-6 as independent and adjuvant therapy for hormone related depression in women is indicated.

Keywords: Alternative medicine; complementary therapies; depression; dietary supplement; vitamin B-6.
Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 The Annals of PharmacotherapyHome page
C. I Jarvis, A. M Lynch, and A. K Morin
Management Strategies for Premenstrual Syndrome/Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
Ann. Pharmacother., July 1, 2008; 42(7): 967 - 978.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.