Higher vitamin intake reduced risk of depression associated with heavy metal exposure- Korean national cohort study
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According to a Korean national cohort study, a higher intake of vitamins A, B1, and B3 has been shown to reduce the risk of depression associated with heavy metal exposure.
The study examined data from 16371 people who took part in the Korea national health and nutrition examination surveys (KNHANES) between 2009 and 2017 (excluding 2014 and 2015).
Information on their socio-demographics, family histories, sexual habits, serum heavy metal levels, and food intake, including mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb)
An increase in serum Cd was discovered to be associated with an increased risk of depression, but this could be mitigated by increasing vitamin intake.
The study's findings were published in environmental science and pollution research.
Date analysis
The data collected from the participants—all of whom were at least 10 years old—included information on their daily vitamin intakes, daily food intakes, serum heavy metal levels, and, if any, a history of depression.
A 24-hour dietary recall was used to calculate both daily vitamin intake and daily food intake.
The subjects also completed a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, which examined their consumption of 63 different foods.
Results
According to the findings of the study, serum cadmium levels were significantly higher in subjects suffering from depression.
For example, the geometric mean serum level of cadmium in participants with depression was 1.11 ug/L compared to 0.81 ug/L in participants without depression.
An increase in serum Cd was linked to an increased risk of depression, but the risk of depression was found to rapidly decrease when vitamin B1 B3 or total vitamin A intake was increased.
"These findings add to our understanding of the effects of heavy metals and dietary intakes on the pathogenesis of depression," said the researcher.
“The geometric mean vitamin B, B3, and a intake in participants without depression was 1.26 mg, 13.82 mg, and 481.40 mg, respectively, whereas those with depression had lower intakes of 0.99 mg, 10.8 mg, and 392.76 mg."
“The risk of depression decreases as vitamin intake increases. A twofold increase in daily vitamin B1, B3, or A consumption reduced the risk of depression by 17%, 20%, and 8%, respectively”.
"The findings suggest that increasing dietary vitamin intake may protect the public from depression.
More research is needed to reduce the risks posed by heavy metals and to determine the effects of daily dietary vitamin intake on depression more thoroughly "According to the researchers.
While other studies have found elevated serum levels of magnesium and lead to be associated with depression, this study found no evidence of these associations.
Cadmium's neuro impact
The mechanism by which serum cadmium is linked to neuropsychiatric disorders is not well understood; however, the researchers have suggested some possible explanations.
First, cadmium can cross and disrupt the blood-brain barrier, causing oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and even neuronal cell apoptosis in brain tissue.
Second, it can have a negative impact on the central nervous system by causing vascular damage through endothelial oxidative stress, which is a risk factor for depression.
On the other hand, vitamin B deficiency has been linked to the development of depression.
Our findings show that vitamin B1 consumption is inversely related to depression in the Korean population, which is consistent with a previous study that found that 6 weeks of vitamin B1 supplementation reduced depressive symptoms in 80 elderly women.
Other studies have found that vitamin B1 supplementation can reduce depressive symptoms and improve cognitive function in geriatric depression patients, and in a case report, it reduced depressive symptoms in a 50-year-old man admitted to a psychiatric clinic.
"To the best of our knowledge, this large-scale study is the first to report the effects of dietary vitamin intake and serum heavy metal levels on depression in a nationally representative sample of the Korean population," said the researchers.
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