Antioxidants Consumption and Depression: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the ELSA-Brasil Study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the association between depression and consumption of retinol, vitamins C and E, selenium and zinc in participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) baseline data. Methods This study is part of the ELSA-Brasil, a population-based cohort study with 15,105 civil servants aged 35–74 years. In this analysis, we included cross-sectional data from the baseline examination conducted from August 2008 to December 2010. Antioxidants consumption was measure by The Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) software. Depression disorder was accessed by a Clinical Interview Schedule Revised (CIS-R). The use of antidepressant drugs was recorded during a face-to-face systematic interview about use of continuous medication in the prior two weeks. Logistic regression models were built comparing two groups: DEP1 - no depression by CIS-R and no current antidepressants use, and DEP2 - depression by CIS-R or current use of antidepressant. Model 1 yield crude values and model 2 adjusted by age, sex and total energy. These analyses were carried out using the software Stata and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 11.7% (n = 1761) of the sample was identified with depression by CIS-R or current use of antidepressants. Median antioxidant intake for DEP1 and DEP2 were respectively 434.76 mg and 419.73 mg for retinol; 196.84 mg and 193.87 mg for vitamin C; 9.30 mg and 9.03 mg for vitamin E; 192.24 μg and 189.24 μg for selenium, and 14.62 mg and 14.39 mg for zinc. In model 1, retinol (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.99–0.99, P = 0.008) and vitamin E (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98–0.99, P = 0.036) intake levels were inversely associated with depression. In model 2 only retinol (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.99–0.99, P = 0.011) intake was inversely associated with depression disorder. Conclusions A lower intake of retinol was significantly associated with more occurrence of depression or antidepressant use. Although the magnitude of ORs is small, these results suggest a possible protective effect on retinol intake against depression disorder. Funding Sources The ELSA-Brazil baseline study was supported by the Brazilian Ministry of Health (Science and Technology Department) and the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (Studies and projects financier and CNPq National Research Council).