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Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 27, No. 3, 421-427 (2008)
Published by the American College of Nutrition

Vitamin B6 Is Associated with Depressive Symptomatology in Massachusetts Elders

Cristina Merete, MS, Luis M. Falcon, PhD and Katherine L. Tucker, PhD

Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (C.M., K.L.T.)
Northeastern University Department of Sociology (L.M.F.), Boston, Massachusetts

Address correspondence to: Katherine L. Tucker, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington St., Boston, MA 02111. E-mail: katherine.tucker{at}tufts.edu

Objective: We examined the cross-sectional relationship between dietary vitamin B6 and plasma pyridoxyl-5'-phosphate concentrations (PLP) with depressive symptomatology among a representative sample of 618 elderly Caribbean Hispanics, and a neighborhood based comparison group of 251 non-Hispanic white (NHW) older adults in Massachusetts.

Methods: Depressive symptomatology was assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). 41% of Hispanics and 22.6% of NHWs had CES-D scores greater than 16, indicating depressive caseness. Dietary intake was calculated from a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed for this population.

Results: PLP was significantly associated with CES-D score and depressive caseness in the total sample and in non-supplement users. Deficient levels of plasma PLP (plasma PLP < 20 nmol/L) approximately doubled the likelihood of depressive caseness. Total intake (diet + supplement) of vitamin B6 was not associated with these outcomes. However, dietary vitamin B6 was significantly associated with CES-D score and depressive caseness.

Conclusion: Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the direction of causality between vitamin B6 and depressive symptoms.






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