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Recent research has suggested that folic acid (vitamin B9) supplementation may reduce the risk of suicide attempts. However, a nationwide Swedish study, presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) annual congress, raises doubts about the benefits of supplementation, as folic acid appears to affect different sexes and age groups differently.

Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, plays an important role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Folic acid status has been linked to depression, inflammation and suicidal behavior. In 2022, a large U.S. study published in JAMA Psychiatry reported that periods covered by folic acid prescriptions were associated with a 44% reduction in suicide attempts and episodes of intentional self-harm, leading to widespread interest in prescribing folic acid to vulnerable groups.

The new Swedish study examined whether folic acid dispensing was associated with suicidality in young adults according to their age and sex. Researchers analyzed openly available nationwide data from all 21 Swedish regions over a 16-year period, from 2006 to 2021, including 3,463 suicide-related deaths among people ages 20–29. Of these deaths, 2,693 were classified as suicides and 770 as deaths from events of undetermined intent.

Among men, the results did not point in a single direction. Annual folic acid dispensing rates in men ages 20–24 were associated with a higher concentration of suicide-related deaths than in the younger age group.

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