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Inependent and combined effect of serum copper and folate on depression: cross-sectional data from the NHANES 2011–2016.
High blood copper levels and low folate levels have been linked to depression in earlier research, where depression is a known prevalent mental ailment that affects both physical and emotional well-being. The purpose of this study by Liu, Wang & Jiang (2024) was to determine if elevated serum folate levels—either by themselves or in conjunction with serum copper levels—are linked to a higher risk of depression. Data from participants aged 18–80 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted from 2011 to 2016 were analyzed to investigate the role of trace elements, and depression was evaluated via the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Among the 4,847 participants in the study, 429 (8.9%) had depressive symptoms based on PHQ-9 scores above 10. After adjusting for confounding variables, higher serum copper levels (≥15.5 μmol/L vs. <15.5 μmol/L) were associated with a 1.54 times greater risk of depression and folate deficiency (serum folate <53.7 μmol/L) was linked to a 1.44 times higher risk. The highest depression risk was observed in participants with both high serum copper levels and folate deficiency. High copper levels with low folate levels had a strong synergistic impact, contributing to 19% of instances of depression. According to the research, low folate levels and high copper levels may work in concert to raise the risk of depression. To find out if folic acid supplementation might help those with high copper levels avoid depression, more population-based research is required. [NPID: NHANES, folate, copper, depression, interaction effect]
Year: 2024
