Low vitamin B12 is not associated with incident depressive symptoms in elderly people living in folate areas. 4-year longitudinal study

Laird, E., O'Halloran, A., Molloy, A., Healy, M., Hernandez, B., O'Connor, D., Briggs, R. (2021). Briggs, R. (2021). Low vitamin B12, but not folic acid, is associated with incident depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults: a four-year longitudinal study. British Journal of Nutrition, 1-22. doi: 10.1017 / S0007114521004748

Commentary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between folate and vitamin B 12 status and incident depressive symptoms in a representative cohort of older adults.

It utilized the Irish Longitudinal Study of Aging (n = 3,849 over 50 years) and was investigating the relationship between plasma folate and B 12 levels at baseline and incident depressive symptoms at 2 and 4 years.

A logistic regression model reporting odds ratios was used to analyze the long-term association between B vitamin categories and depression. plasma levels of both B 12 and folate were found to be lower in the depressed and non-depressed groups.

A regression model showed that participants with deficient low B 12 status at baseline were significantly more likely to be depressed at 4 years. This finding remained robust after controlling for relevant covariates such as physical activity, chronic disease burden, and vitamin D status, according to the study.

No association between folate status and the development of depression was observed. Older adults with inadequate B 12 status had a 51% increased likelihood of developing depressive symptoms over 4 years.