Specific Vitamin Deficiencies Associated with Mood and Mental Outlook Issues

by CP Staff

According to a new study, folic acid and vitamin B6 play an important role in maintaining a healthy mood. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) states that Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder (mild chronic depression) affect 18.1 million Americans.

In this recently published study, researchers investigated the potential role of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid in mood health in a group of adolescents. The subjects of this study included 3,067 boys and 3,450 girls between 12 and 15 years of age. The subjects completed a questionnaire regarding diet history and were evaluated for mental health symptoms using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score.

The results of the study showed that 22.5 percent of the boys and 31.2 percent of the girls had decreased mood. The data showed that as folic acid and vitamin B6 intake increased, the risk of these symptoms decreased. More specifically, increased folic acid intake was associated with a 40 percent decrease in the risk of mood symptoms in boys and a 39 percent decrease in girls. Similarly, increased vitamin B6 intake was associated with a 27 percent decrease in the risk of boys developing decreased mood and poor mental outlook and a 28 percent decrease in girls. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) was associated with a 15 percent reduced risk of the same symptoms in girls, but there was no association in the male subjects. The study did not find an association between vitamin B12 and such symptoms in boys or girls.

The researchers stated, “This study suggests that higher intake of dietary B vitamins, particularly folate and vitamin B6, is independently associated with a lower prevalence” of mood and mental outlook issues in early adolescence.

Reference:

Murakami K, Miyake Y, Sasaki S, Tanaka K, Arakawa M. Dietary Folate, Riboflavin, Vitamin B-6, and Vitamin B-12 and Depressive Symptoms in Early Adolescence: The Ryukyus Child Health Study. Psychosom Med. 2010 Aug 17. Published Online Ahead of Print.