A survey of U.S. adults found that common environmental toxins, such as nicotine and metals, are associated with depressive symptoms, such as feelings of hopelessness and little interest in everyday activities.
Researchers have found that inflammation caused by these environmental toxins could be one possible underlying cause.
The research team, including from Peking University in China, analyzed toxin levels in blood and urine samples from more than 3,400 adults. The data was taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which tracks the health and nutrition of Americans.
Participants’ depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), which allows establishing a diagnosis along with the severity of symptoms.
The researchers found that toxins found in paints and varnishes, including heavy metals, nicotine and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), increased participants’ risk of depression.
The authors found that people with detectable levels of the VOC MHBMA2 had a 74% higher risk of experiencing depression-like symptoms compared with those with undetectable levels.
Additionally, men were found to be more susceptible to the depressive effects of environmental toxins than women.
The authors found that inflammation, as measured by white blood cell (WBC) count, is one of the processes driving the link between toxins and depression-like symptoms.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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