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Posted on Feb 03, 2010, 6 a.m.
Japanese researchers find that folate may help ameliorate the onset of depression in men.
In that folate and homocysteine have been implicated by previous studies to serve a role in depression, A. Nanri, from the International Medical Center of Japan (Tokyo, Japan), and colleagues studied a group of 530 municipal employees (313 men and 217 women), ages 21 to 67 years, who participated in a health survey at the time of periodic checkup. Depressive symptoms were assessed, and analysis was used to estimate odds ratios of depressive symptoms with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Men with the highest blood levels of folate were 50% less likely to have symptoms of depression (as compared to men with the lowest levels). Additionally the data suggested a positive association between serum homocysteine and depressive symptoms in men. However, the team did not find any association of folate or homocysteine with depressive symptoms among women.
A Nanri, T Mizoue, Y Matsushita, S Sasaki, M Ohta, M Sato, N Mishima. “Serum folate and homocysteine and depressive symptoms among Japanese men and women.” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 20 January 2010; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.143.
