Vitamin B

What is Vitamin B? 

Vitamin B12, B6 and folate play important roles in the development, maintenance and function of the brain. Vitamin B is important for critical cellular processes such as the synthesis of nucleic acids for DNA, and the
metabolism of amino acids and other vitamins. However, any relationship between vitamin B levels and risk of psychiatric disorders remains unclear.

What is the evidence for Vitamin B levels in people with schizophrenia?

Moderate quality evidence finds decreased blood folate levels in people with schizophrenia, particularly Caucasian and Asian people, and people aged under 50 years. High quality evidence finds no differences in vitamin B12 levels.

Moderate quality evidence also finds a medium-sized effect of lower folate and high quality evidence finds no differences in B12 in people with first-episode psychosis.

October 2020

Last updated at: 3:43 am, 27th October 2020
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Title Colour Legend:
Green - Topic summary is available.
Orange - Topic summary is being compiled.
Red - Topic summary has no current systematic review available.