Research published in December 2021first using data from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA) found people with a vitamin B12 deficiency had a higher risk of depressive symptoms. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America,2 264 million people worldwide live with symptoms of depression. In 2017, approximately 17.3 million adults in the US experienced at least one major depressive episode.
This number increased in 2019 to 19.4 million adults who have experienced at least one major depressive episode.3 It is not uncommon for someone with depression to also experience symptoms of anxiety.4 According to CDC,5 Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show that women are twice as likely to develop depression as men, a pattern observed in each age group surveyed.
Symptoms of depression can include feeling sad or empty, hopeless, irritable, worthless, and restless. You may have trouble sleeping, lose your appetite or change your weight, or have thoughts about death or suicide. Not everyone experiences every symptom. For some individuals, their symptoms make it difficult to function.6
Research in December 2021 linked vitamin B12 deficiency with an increased incidence of depressive symptoms in the elderly. Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin found in a number of foods.7 It is also available as a prescription drug and a supplement. Your body uses vitamin B12 for central nervous system function and myelin, to form healthy red blood cells, and to synthesize DNA.
Food sources include those of animal origin, such as pasture-raised poultry, dairy products, eggs and meat. Absorption of vitamin B12 depends on intrinsic factor, which is a transport and distribution binding protein made in the stomach.8 Bioavailability from food decreases when vitamin B12 levels exceed intrinsic factor capacity.
Vitamin B12 is released from food by the action of hydrochloric acid and gastric proteases in the stomach and saliva in the mouth.9 In 1999, it was estimated thatten that vitamin B12 deficiency affects 15% of people over 60 years of age. However, in this study, the classic symptoms of deficiency were often lacking in this population.
The low vitamin B status is attributed to the high prevalence of atrophic gastritis, which results in low acid pepsin secretion and reduced vitamin B12 release from food. A 2021 study suggests that this low vitamin B12 level may increase the risk of depression in older adults.11
Vitamin B12 deficiency linked to depression
The study was published in the British Journal of Nutritiontwelfth sought to evaluate the relationship between vitamin B12, folate, and the prevalence of depression among older adults living in the community. There were 3,849 individuals over the age of 50 included.
The results showed a link between vitamin B12 deficiency, but not folate deficiency.13 The researchers found that even after controlling for factors such as chronic disease, cardiovascular disease, antidepressant use, physical activity, and vitamin D status, the results were significant.14
Older adults with a B12 deficiency had a 51 percent increased risk of depressive symptoms during the four-year study period. The data also suggest that several factors influence vitamin B12 status in older adults. This includes geographic location, obesity, smoking, socioeconomic status, and gender.
While an association was found between older adults living in the community and vitamin B12 deficiency, they also found that older adults in the study had a lower risk of depression. In a press release from Trinity College Dublin, Eamon Laird, from TILDA15 and the study’s lead scientist said of the results in a press release, that:16
“This study is very relevant given the high rates of incident depression among older adults living in Ireland, and especially given the evidence that one in eight older adults reports a low rate of depression. B12 deficiency is high.
There is growing impetus to make the policy mandatory for B vitamins in foods in Europe and the UK, especially as mandatory folic acid fortified foods in the US have shown positive results, with the rate of folate deficiency or the condition was as low as 1.2% in people 60 years of age and older. ”
Vitamin D deficiency plays a role in mental health
This recent study highlights the importance of adequate nutrition to protect your optimal health. In addition to vitamin B12, other nutrients have a significant effect on mental health. Vitamin D is one of those nutrients. Vitamin D, also known as calciferol,17 Is a fat-soluble vitamin that your body can absorb from certain foods and produce endogenously when exposed to sunlight.
People can develop a deficiency when they consume less than recommended, have limited exposure to sunlight, inadequate absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, or the kidneys fail to convert the vitamin into its active form. Scientists believe that vitamin D deficiency is a global health problem that is greatly overlooked at epidemic levels.18
The way a vitamin D deficiency is determined also varies. For the most part, researchers explain vitamin D deficiency as serum 25(OH)D levels of 20 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) or lower.19 However, the optimal serum vitamin D concentration is between 40 ng/mL and 60 ng/mL.20
Early 2000 . research21 demonstrated that there is a significant deficiency of vitamin D3 in patients with depression and alcoholism. By 2007, researchers had recognized the importance of low vitamin D intake for mood.22
More research23 People with fibromyalgia also have a higher risk of low serum vitamin D levels, and it appears that high doses of vitamin D supplementation in depressed and overweight individuals may improve symptoms.24 For years, researchers continued to question whether vitamin D was a causal link with depression or another symptom of the condition.25
Other scientists recognize whether an effective therapy for depression is the detection and treatment of vitamin D deficiency.26 By 2014,27 One study found that vitamin D deficiency was linked to the severity of depression people experienced. Their results showed an adverse dose-related response, implying that low vitamin D levels could be a potential biological vulnerability.
In 2018,28 The British Journal of Psychiatry published a systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrating that low vitamin D intake is associated with depression. The important factor to remember is that it is very unlikely that supplementation in individuals with optimal serum levels will have any effect on mood disturbances. Instead, the effect was more likely to be found in people with low serum levels.
Relevance of Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Depression
Omega-3 fats are essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which your body needs for many different functions. These include digestion, blood clotting, brain health, and muscle performance. In early 2021, omega-3 fats made news as the data29 showed that people with a measured omega-3 index of 5.7% or higher had significantly better outcomes from COVID-19.
The omega-3 index measures the amount on the red blood cell membrane.30 People with a reading below 4% have a higher risk of heart disease. Those with an omega index between 4% and 8% had an average risk, and those with an omega index higher than 8% had a low risk of heart disease.
A data analysis published in 2016thirty first revealed there are regions of the world with omega-3 readings greater than 8%. These people include Scandinavian, Sea of Japan and indigenous populations that do not eat Western food. Regions of the world with levels below 4% include Central and South America, Europe, North America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa.
While your omega-3 levels are important, your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is just as important. I find it very difficult to correct an imbalance just by adding more omega-3 fats. In fact, just as taking too much omega-6 is dangerous, too much omega-3 can cause poor health.
The imbalance between omega 6 and omega 3 that has occurred over the past 150 years is thought to be the cause of many inflammatory-related diseases common in society, including depressive disorder.32 There is growing evidence that a deficiency in omega-3 fats contributes to mood disorders, including depression.33,34,35
Increased risk of deficiency and depression in the elderly
Vitamin D,36 B1237 and omega-3 fats are common deficiencies in the general population and older adults. Reasons older adults may experience nutrient deficiencies may be related to poor absorption, poor diet, and lack of exposure to sunlight.
The deficiency of nutrients at optimal levels is a significant contributing factor to the development of inflammation and disease, and one of the health conditions associated with inflammation is depression.38 Depression affects quality of life and productivity in the elderly, at a time when they are often more isolated from others.
To date, many older adults have been treated for depression with psychotherapy and/or medication. However, because there is a significant link between nutrition and mood, addressing potential nutrient deficiencies before supplementing with medications comes with a long list of side effects only. meaningful.
One of the more common classes of antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),39 can cause nausea, dizziness, insomnia, anxiety, diarrhea and tremors,40 All of which can be dangerous for older adults. These side effects may negatively impact intake or increase the risk of falls.
As has been demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining optimal health and nutrition reduces the risk of illness caused by the virus. Outstanding research also demonstrates that nutrient intake is crucial to your mental health. It is much easier to address the body’s needs before they trigger an illness. While it may take some time and energy, it’s important to take control of your health.
