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Daily vinegar ingestion improves depression and enhances niacin metabolism in overweight adults: A randomized controlled trial
Depression is a prevalent mental health condition around the world. While antidepressant medications are often prescribed, they can have significant side effects, and their effectiveness can vary. Thus, Barrong et al. (2024) argue for the need for simple and effective adjuvant therapies. Vinegar, a solution of fermented acetic acid, has gained attention as a dietary supplement linked to positive effects on blood sugar control, heart disease risk, and weight loss, with recent studies suggesting it may alleviate symptoms of depression. Over the course of four weeks, this randomized controlled trial evaluated the changes in scores from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) questionnaire in healthy overweight adults who consumed either 2.95 g of acetic acid (four tablespoons of vinegar) or 0.025 g of acetic acid (one vinegar pill) daily. A secondary aim was to investigate potential underlying mechanisms through metabolomics analyses. At the end of the four-week period, mean CES-D scores decreased by 26% for the vinegar group and 5% for the control group, which was not statistically significant, while PHQ-9 scores dropped by 42% in the vinegar group compared to an 18% reduction in the control group. Metabolomics analyses indicated higher nicotinamide levels and activation of the NAD+ salvage pathway in the vinegar group, changes that have been associated with improved mood. Therefore, the authors conclude that daily vinegar consumption over four weeks led to a reduction in self-reported depression symptoms in healthy overweight adults, with improvements in niacin metabolism potentially contributing to these effects. [NPID: Vinegar, acetic acid, depression, metabolomics, nicotinamide]
Year: 2024
