Thousands of lives could be saved thanks to folic acid or folate, this vitamin, well known because it is prescribed in pregnancy, has also been associated with lower rates of suicide attempts and self-injury. Specifically, it appears that taking folic acid supplements for 24 months could lower the rate of suicide attempts by 44%.
The research that has given this finding, published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, has analyzed figures from a pharmacoepidemiological database of medical claims in the United States of 866,586 people aged 60 years or older, 81% women, who requested a prescription for acid folic acid between 2012 and 2017.
In the two years that the study lasted, carried out by members of the University of Chicago (USA), 261 suicide attempts were recorded. It found that during the months that people were taking folic acid the rate of suicidal events was 4.73 per 100,000 person-months, compared to 895 suicidal events during the months without folic acid for a rate of 10.61 per 100,000. .
Up to 5% less extra risk each month folate is taken
These data were related to other factors such as age, sex, folate deficiency, previous suicidal behavior and prescription of folic acid reducers. It was then that they found that folic acid could have the ability to reduce the number of suicidal actions by up to 44%.
“If confirmed, folic acid may be a safe, inexpensive, and widely available treatment for suicidal ideation and behavior.”
The researchers also noted that the longer a person took folate, the lower their risk of attempting suicide. Specifically, for each month of additional treatment with folic acid, a 5% reduction in suicidal events per month was achieved, including self-harm.
Among the possible causes that the researchers are considering is the idea that people who usually take vitamin supplements are usually individuals who want to improve their health, so it is logical to think that they would be less likely to try to end their lives.
“The results justify conducting a randomized clinical trial with suicidal ideation and behavior as outcomes of interest. If confirmed, folic acid may be a safe, inexpensive, and widely available treatment for suicidal ideation and behavior,” said Robert D. Gibbons, principal investigator of the study.
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