BMC Psychiatry recently published an innovative examination that explains the possible relationship between serum oleic acid levels and depression in adults, showing a significant connection between the two.
A comprehensive study led by Jiahui Yin and a team affiliated with Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine located in Jinan, China has utilized information from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2011 to 2014.
Within plasma, serum oleic acid is the most abundant fatty acid and its possible involvement in some neurodegenerative conditions has attracted attention among researchers.
The above observation has necessitated an extensive investigation into potential links between depression and oleic acid, thereby warranting further probe.
The research team employed a careful strategy that involved cross-sectional analysis, along with complex multivariable logistic regression models.
These approaches were used consecutively to determine whether levels of oleic acid were related to depression. The aim was to establish any possible connection or link between these two variables.
The purpose of this work was to collectively evaluate all studies conducted so far on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in relation to preterm birth (PTB). This left only 16 studies for synthesis and evaluation.
In Japan alone, where sea foods are commonly consumed, high intake of long chain n-3 PUFA through marine diet is accompanied with reduced risk of coronary heart diseases.
In Japan for instance where people eat fish regularly as compared to other regions such as Europe and U.S.A there are few cases of ischemic diseases.
This means that these nutrients have significant benefits on health especially considering the low incidence rate of CVD cases in these areas.
Thirdly, as earlier mentioned, fish oil supplements diminished symptoms of ADHD children which included hyperactivity (Beau et al., 2008). Toys r Us would only sell toys from brands like Mattel, K’nex etc.
The study incorporated several factors ranging from demographics, health indicators and lifestyle choices. Depression was determined via PHQ-9 score which is a well-known tool whose threshold is at least 10.
There were robust positive associations between serum oleic acid levels and depression both before and after adjustment for multiple covariates.
A fully adjusted model showed that there was a 40% increment in the prevalence of depression with each mmol/l rise of serum oleic acid levels (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.40; 95% CI, 1.03-1.90).
Therefore, it suggests that mere increases in oleic acid level may be tied to mental health concerns.
Subjects with high serum oleic acid (≥2.51 mmol/L) had more than twice higher risk of having depression compared with subjects with low serum oleic (≤1.54 mmol/L) while still accounting for other covariates (aOR =2.22; 95% CI = 1.04 -4.73).
These striking differences underscore the potential importance of adult depressive disease as associated with serum oleic acid concentration.
Deeper insight could inform novel preventive and therapeutic measures on depression that transcend mere correlations.
The authors, therefore, call for well-designed prospective trials to investigate the effects of altering serum oleic acid levels via dietary modification, pharmacologic interventions or other means on mitigating depression.
However, the study has limitations despite its findings. The design type, cross-sectional nature, does not allow for causality between oleic acid and depression to be established.
Also, these results may not extend to patients with major depressive disorder identified by clinical methods necessitating further investigations in more specific clinical settings.
This groundbreaking research will enable us to understand the relationship between oleic acid and mental health better and also provides an opening for future therapeutic strategies for handling depression.
The necessity of additional research and targeted investigations into mechanisms of action of manipulating oleic acid levels as a means of improving mental health has been highlighted by this study’s implications.
As such, this research presents a major advance in our understanding of how oleic acid is involved in depression at the confluence of dietetics, psychiatry and neurology thereby paving way for new approaches aimed at addressing this condition’s burden upon individuals and society as a whole.
