Association between dietary niacin intake and suicidal ideation: mediating role of C-reactive protein

Relationship between dietary niacin intake and suicidal ideation

This research explores the intricate relationship between dietary niacin intake and suicidal ideation (SI), utilizing data from 26,224 American adults obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The analysis employed restricted cubic spline, logistic regression, and stratified analyses to assess the association between dietary niacin intake and SI, which was measured using Item 9 of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Among the participants, 970 individuals (3.7%) reported experiencing SI. The logistic regression findings indicated a significant inverse association between dietary niacin intake and SI prevalence, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.77, 0.96), even after adjusting for confounding variables. Notably, subgroup analyses revealed a more pronounced association in individuals with a history of hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, a non-linear relationship was identified, characterized by an L-shaped curve with an inflection point at 26.78 mg/day, suggesting a saturation effect. Mediation analysis indicated that C-reactive protein (CRP) accounted for 3.6% of the association between dietary niacin intake and SI. These findings highlight the potential public health implications of dietary niacin intake, suggesting that increased niacin consumption may be linked to a reduced prevalence of SI. [NPID: C-reactive protein, niacin, suicidal ideation]

Year: 2025

Reference: Lin, H., Xu, J., Wang, B., & et al. (2025). Association between dietary niacin intake and suicidal ideation: Mediating role of C-reactive protein. BMC Psychiatry, 25, 820. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07278-1