Evaluating Treatment Outcomes of Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid Supplementation in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Patients With Deficiencies: A Comparative Analysis

TL;DR

This study found that adding vitamin B12 and folic acid to standard OCD treatment improved symptoms and biochemical markers more than standard treatment alone.

Contribution

The study demonstrates that vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation enhances OCD treatment outcomes when combined with SSRIs.

Findings

Supplementation improved vitamin B12, folic acid, and reduced homocysteine levels more in the supplemented group.

Both groups showed reduced OCD symptoms, but improvements were statistically significant in the supplemented group.

No significant differences in insight levels were observed between the two groups.

Abstract

Introduction

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) imposes a considerable impact on day-to-day functioning. Many people experience insufficient symptom relief even after taking the optimum dose of OCD medications. Reduced levels of folic acid and vitamin B₁₂, along with elevated homocysteine (HCY), have been suggested as possible factors in the persistence of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms. This study investigated how supplementation of vitamin B₁₂, folic acid, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) affects OC symptoms and related biochemical markers.

Methods

A comparative study enrolled 72 OCD patients. For eight weeks, the conventional treatment group received SSRIs or other anti-obsessive medication. In contrast, the nutrient-supplemented group received supplements of vitamin B₁₂, folic acid, and SSRIs. Micronutrients HCY, folic acid, and vitamin B₁₂ were measured at baseline and after eight weeks. Besides, the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was applied to assess the severity of OCD symptoms at the baseline, four-week, and eight-week visits.

Results

Group A (conventional treatment with nutrient supplement) showed significant improvements in vitamin B₁₂, blood folic acid, and reductions in HCY levels compared to Group B (conventional treatment). However, no substantial differences in insight levels were observed between the groups. Both groups exhibited decreased Y-BOCS scores, indicating a reduction in OCD symptoms; however, the improvements in Group A (conventional treatment + nutrient supplement) were statistically significant.

Conclusions

When taken with SSRIs, vitamin B₁₂and folic acid supplements seem to improve OCD patients’ clinical results. These results imply that this supplementation could be a useful therapeutic adjunct.

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