Lower Serum Folate Associated with Risk of Depression in Men

TOKYO— A study out of Japan found men with lower serum levels of folate had a higher incidence of depression, according to a new study coordinated by the International Medical Center of Japan (Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010;64:289-96. DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2009.143). Researchers analyzed data for 530 municipal employees (313 men and 217 women), aged 21 to 67 years, who were participating in a health survey; an assessment using the Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression (CES-D) scale found 36.1 percent of men and 36.4 percent of women had depressive symptoms. Higher serum folate was associated with a decreased prevalence of depressive symptoms in men, reducing incidence by up to half the rate of men with the lowest serum levels. Also, there was a positive association between higher serum homocysteine levels and depressive symptoms in men. There was no association between depressive symptoms and either serum folate or homocysteine levels in women.