Research Progress on the Relationship Between Vitamin B and Geriatric Depression

Qianzi Liu

doi:10.54097/37k2fe83

Authors

Qianzi Liu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/37k2fe83

Keywords:

Vitamin B, Geriatric Depression, Supplement Therapy.

Abstract

In the context of global aging, the incidence of geriatric depression has increased significantly, and the existing drug treatment has limited effect, so it is urgent to explore new intervention methods. Vitamin B, as a water-soluble nutrient, plays an important role in the occurrence and development of depression by participating in physiological processes such as neurotransmitter synthesis, homocysteine metabolism, methylation reaction and energy metabolism. This article systematically reviews the relationship between vitamin B and geriatric depression in order to reveal its potential mechanism and therapeutic value. Studies have shown that insufficient vitamin B intake and decreased serum levels are significantly related to depressive symptoms in the elderly, and vitamin B supplementation can alleviate depressive symptoms by regulating neurotransmitter balance, reducing homocysteine toxicity, and improving methylation function. Clinical evidence shows that supplementation with B vitamins alone or in combination with antidepressants can improve the efficacy of treatment and is safe. However, there are still some problems in the current research, such as insufficient evidence of causality, lack of targeted studies in elderly groups and lack of standardization of supplementary programs. In the future, large-scale clinical studies should be conducted to clarify the therapeutic value of vitamin B, analyze the molecular mechanism combined with multidisciplinary technology, and optimize the vitamin B level in the elderly through nutritional intervention strategies, so as to provide scientific basis for the accurate prevention and treatment of geriatric depression.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

[1] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospect 2022: Release note about major differences in total population estimates for mid-2021 between 2019 and 2022 revisions [R]. 2022. https://population.un.org/wpp/Publications/Files/WPP2022_Release-Note-rev1.pdf.

[2] World Health Organization. Mental health of older adults [R]. 2022. https://www.who.int.

[3] Chinese Mental Health Survey. Prevalence and influencing factors of depression in Chinese elderly [J]. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 2021, 35 (4): 45-50. (In Chinese)

[4] Jiang K. D. Diagnosis and treatment of depression [J]. Medicine and Philosophy, 2010, 31 (4): 12-13, 23. (in Chinese)

[5] Herbison C. E., Hickling S., Allen K. L., et al. Low intake of B-vitamins is associated with poor adolescent mental health and behaviour [J]. Preventive Medicine, 2012, 55 (6).

[6] Mikkelsen K., Stojanovska L., Apostolopoulos V. The effects of vitamin B in depression [J]. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 2016, 23 (38): 4317-4337.

[7] Wu Y. J. Relationship between B-vitamin intake and depression in adults [D]. Qingdao University, 2020. (In Chinese)

[8] Nguyen T. T. T., Tsujiguchi H., Kambayashi Y., et al. Relationship between vitamin intake and depressive symptoms in elderly Japanese individuals: Differences with gender and body mass index [J]. Nutrients, 2017, 9 (12): 1319.

[9] Liu C. J., Wan A. L., Dai C., et al. Serum levels of vitamin B12 and folate in patients with depression [J]. Journal of Nanchang University (Medical Sciences), 2018, 58 (1): 2. (In Chinese)

[10] Ni S. L., Yuan Y. G., Zhou J., et al. Serum folate and vitamin B12 concentrations in patients with depression and their clinical significance [J]. Medical Journal of Chinese People’s Health, 2007, 19 (17): 719-720. (In Chinese)

[11] Ng T. P., Feng L., Niti M., et al. Folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and depressive symptoms in a Chinese elderly sample [J]. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 2009, 57 (5): 871-876.

[12] David K. B vitamins and the brain: Mechanisms, dose and efficacy—A review [J]. Nutrients, 2016, 8 (2): 68.

[13] Bottiglieri T. Homocysteine and folate metabolism in depression [J]. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, 2005, 29 (7): 1103-1112.

[14] Miller A. L. The methylation, neurotransmitter, and antioxidant connections between folate and depression [J]. Alternative Medicine Review, 2008, 13 (3): 216.

[15] Mikkelsen K., Apostolopoulos V. B vitamins and ageing [M] // Subcellular Biochemistry. Springer, 2018, 90: 451-470.

[16] Peuhkuri K., Sihvola N., Korpela R. Diet promotes sleep duration and quality [J]. Nutrition Research, 2012, 32 (5): 309-319.

[17] Wong C. Vitamin B12 deficiency in the elderly: Is it worth screening? [J]. Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2015, 21 (2).

[18] O’Leary F., Allman-Farinelli M., Samman S. Vitamin B12 status, cognitive decline and dementia: A systematic review of prospective cohort studies [J]. British Journal of Nutrition, 2012, 108 (11): 1948-1961.

[19] Coppen A., Bolander-Gouaille C. Treatment of depression: Time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12 [J]. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2005, 19 (1): 59-65.

[20] Cheng D., Kong H., Pang W., et al. B vitamin supplementation improves cognitive function in the middle aged and elderly with hyperhomocysteinemia [J]. Nutrition Neuroscience, 2016, 19 (10): 461-466.

[21] Bai X., Zhou L., Yang Q. Effect of vitamin B12 adjuvant therapy on anxiety and depression [J]. Modern Medicine Journal of China, 2021, 23 (8): 77-79. (In Chinese)

[22] Du C. Y., Zhao Y. H., Xu G. J. Adjuvant treatment of depression with vitamin B12 [J]. China Journal of Health Psychology, 2014, 22 (7): 996-997. (In Chinese)