0166 The Role of Vitamin B12 Supplementation in the Association between Depression Symptoms and Daytime Sleepiness

Abstract

Abstract Introduction A substantial body of literature has demonstrated an association between depression and sleep disturbances. While depressive symptoms are strongly associated with limited sleep duration and quality, high depressive symptomology has been also linked to symptoms of hypersomnolence. Vitamin B12 supplementation is associated with reduced risk of depression and the enhancement of pharmacological treatment for depression, but less is known about the role of vitamin B12 on sleep disturbances associated with depressive symptoms. Thus, our current study examined vitamin B12 intake as a moderator of depression and daytime sleepiness in a national sample of adults. Methods The sample consisted of 5,553 adults who completed the 2017-18 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (M age=49.8, SD=18.6; 51.7% female). Participants reported on prescription and nonprescription dietary supplement use in the last 30 days, sleep habits and disorders adapted from the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire, and completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression screening. All measures were administered by trained interviewers. A moderation analysis was performed using R statistical programming. The analysis controlled for age, gender, ethnicity, sleep duration, and other B-complex vitamins (e.g., B1, B2, B3, and B6). Results Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with greater daytime sleepiness (b=.06, p <.001). Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between depressive symptoms and vitamin B12 consumption (b=-.002, p=.003, R2=.12). Higher vitamin B12 consumption buffered the relationship between depressive symptoms and daytime sleepiness. In contrast, a stronger positive relationship between depressive symptoms and daytime sleepiness was observed among participants with lower Vitamin B12 consumption. Thus, the findings suggest that consuming vitamin B12 may be beneficial for counteracting daytime sleepiness associated with depression. Conclusion Findings from the current study suggest that vitamin B12 supplementation provides a small, but significant buffering effect on the relationship between depressive symptoms and daytime sleepiness. Although existing pharmacological and behavioral interventions for sleep and depression are clinically effective, vitamin B12 intake may be an additional modifiable behavior that could increase prognosis of treatment. Given the very modest interaction effect, further Support (If Any)