Dietary intake of B6-9-12 vitamins, serum homocysteine levels and their association with depressive symptoms: the Zutphen Elderly Study

Abstract

Our results do not support the hypothesis that a low dietary intake of B(6-9-12) vitamins and high levels of serum homocysteine are related to depression in healthy elderly men.

Serum folate and homocysteine and depressive symptoms among Japanese men and women

“…There are a few possible reasons for the inconsistency. First, similar to studies showing no association with serum, plasma or red blood cell folate, the average age of subjects in three (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002;Kamphuis et al, 2008) of the four studies with null finding exceeded 70 years. We thus infer that the association between homocysteine and depressive symptoms among the elderly may be lessened by serious diseases, which may have an adverse effect on mood.…”

“…In the literature, their association has been inconsistent. Of nine studies, five observed an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms associated with a higher blood homocysteine concentration (Bjelland et al, 2003;Tolmunen et al, 2004b;Sachdev et al, 2005;Dimopoulos et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2008), but the others found no association (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002;Morris et al, 2003;Kamphuis et al, 2008). There are a few possible reasons for the inconsistency.…”

“…Moreover, the association between these substances in serum, plasma, or red blood cell and depression has been studied mainly among Western populations (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002;Bjelland et al, 2003;Morris et al, 2003;Ramos et al, 2004;Tolmunen et al, 2004b;Sachdev et al, 2005;Dimopoulos et al, 2007;Kamphuis et al, 2008) but is limited among Asian populations (Kim et al, 2008). Recently, we reported a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms associated with high folate intake among Japanese male employees (Murakami et al, 2008).…”

“…In spite of the accumulating evidence to support a protective role of folate in depression, epidemiologic data about blood folate or homocysteine and depression are not entirely consistent; of eight studies that measured serum, plasma, or red blood cell folate concentrations (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002;Bjelland et al, 2003;Morris et al, 2003;Ramos et al, 2004;Sachdev et al, 2005;Dimopoulos et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2008), two did not detect significant association (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002), and of nine studies that measured blood homocysteine concentrations (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002;Bjelland et al, 2003;Morris et al, 2003;Tolmunen et al, 2004b;Sachdev et al, 2005;Dimopoulos et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2008;Kamphuis et al, 2008), four did not find an association (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002;Morris et al, 2003;Kamphuis et al, 2008). Moreover, the association between these substances in serum, plasma, or red blood cell and depression has been studied mainly among Western populations (Penninx et al, 2000;Tiemeier et al, 2002;Bjelland et al, 2003;Morris et al, 2003;Ramos et al, 2004;Tolmunen et al, 2004b;Sachdev et al, 2005;Dimopoulos et al, 2007;Kamphuis et al, 2008) but is limited among Asian populations (Kim et al, 2008).…”

Nutrition in oncology: the case of micronutrients (Review)

“…Secondly, a less than optimum supply of micronutrients, especially of some B vitamins, is associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms (143,144). Thirdly, even a moderate micronutrient deficit will compromise the immune competence of the organism (145,146), as immune cells, due to their high proliferation rate, have an increased nutrient need.…”