Gary Brecka argues that folic acid (from prenatal vitamins) causes postpartum depression in many women—especially those with the MTHFR gene mutation—and recommends methylfolate instead. He also states the US FDA recently approved prescription-strength folinic acid for autism and postpartum depression.
I find it really interesting that we are prescribing the methylated form of folate to treat postpartum depression, which is caused by the folic acid that we give to pregnant women. US FDA actually just approved a prescription strength of folinic acid for the first time for autism and for postpartum depression. My sincere belief is that the vast majority of postpartum depression is directly linked to the prenatal vitamin. If your body cannot convert folic acid into methylfolate, it will not only not prevent a neural tube defect, it will exacerbate anxiety, depression, anxiousness, postpartum depression. So why do so many pregnant women get postpartum depression? The vast majority of them have the MTHFR gene mutation and took high doses of folic acid. So the long and short of it is folic acid is your enemy and supplement with something called methylfolate.
