L Methylfolate

Deplin is the brand name of a medical food that contains l-methylfolate, a B vitamin, as its active ingredient.

Deplin is used to treat depression.

A medical food is a product approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat conditions caused by various nutritional deficiencies.

Deplin is considered unique because l-methylfolate is the active form of the B-vitamin folate, and is able to penetrate into the blood-brain barrier where it has an effect on altering mood.

Deplin is manufactured by Pamlab.

People may have low levels of folate for a variety of reasons, and there are certain medications that actually either decrease folate concentrations or interfere with the body's ability to make its own folate.

Medications known to lower folate levels in the body include:

• Birth control pills
• Trexall (methotrexate)
• Drugs that contain metformin like Fortamet, Glucophage, or Glumetza
• Jantoven or Coumadin (warfarin)
• Niaspan or Slo-Niacin (niacin)
• Prozac (fluoxetine)
• Seizure medications like Carbatrol, Tegretol, or Epitrol (carbamazepine), Lamictal (lamotrigine), and Depakote (valproic acid)
• Accutane, Amnesteem, Claravis, or Sotret (isotretinoin)

The following are examples of diseases that may cause your folate levels to be low:

• Diabetes
• Diseases of the intestines or digestive tract, like Crohn's disease, colitis, and atrophic gastritis
• Kidney disease
• Underactive thyroid

Folate is a form of B vitamin that occurs naturally in many foods. Folic acid is the man-made form of folate that is added to processed foods or vitamin and mineral supplements. Folate is needed in the human body for production of red blood cells.

A lack (deficiency) of folate in the human body can be caused by certain diseases, by taking certain medications, or by not getting enough folate in your diet. Folate deficiency can lead to decreased red blood cells, or anemia. Folate deficiency can also cause high levels of a certain amino acid in the blood, a condition called hyperhomocysteinemia (HYE-per-HOE-moe-sis-tin-EE-mee-a).

L-methylfolate is a medical food for use in people who have conditions related to folate deficiency. L-methylfolate is also used in people with major depressive disorder who have folate deficiency, or in people with schizophrenia who have hyperhomocysteinemia related to folate deficiency.

L-methylfolate is not an antidepressant or anti-psychotic medication. However, l-methylfolate may enhance the effects of antidepressant medications.

L-methylfolate may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

An overdose of l-methylfolate is not likely to cause life-threatening symptoms.

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

• capecitabine;

• fluoxetine (Prozac);

• isotretinoin;

• methotrexate;

• methylprednisolone;

• pancrelipase;

• pyrimethamine;

• triamterene;

• trimethoprim;

• warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);

• birth control pills;

• oral diabetes medicine that contains metformin (Glucophage, Avandamet, Metaglip, and others);

• NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)--aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others; or

• seizure medicine--carbamazepine, lamotrigine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, valproic acid.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with l-methylfolate, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.