- Researchers are interested in understanding what factors can be used to identify people at increased risk for anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders.
- One recent study found that high blood sugar and triglyceride levels are associated with an increased future risk of depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.
- In contrast, the study also found that higher levels of high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol, were associated with lower future risk of depression, anxiety, and stress-related disorders.
Some people are more likely than others to experience chronic mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. When doctors identify who is more at risk and find out the contributing factors, they can help provide early treatment and achieve good health outcomes.
In a recently published study,
Researchers examined data from more than 211,000 participants. They found that high levels of blood sugar and triglycerides, a type of blood fat, 20 years before diagnosis were associated with an increased risk of these mental illnesses.
In contrast, researchers found that high levels of “good” cholesterol appear to protect against these mental illnesses.
These results demonstrate the importance of monitoring and regularly tracking these metabolic biomarkers so that people can receive a prompt diagnosis of mental illness.
Anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders are common forms of mental illness that can make it difficult for people to thrive in everyday life.
Many risk factors may contribute to the likelihood of developing these mental health conditions. The researchers who conducted the current study noted that metabolic factors may contribute to development, and wanted to examine this relationship in more detail.
Researchers included 211,200 participants from the Swedish Apolipoprotein-Related Mortality Risk (AMORIS) cohort.
Participants had no psychiatric disorders at baseline and had at least one measurement of the metabolic biomarkers the study authors were looking at. Almost 90% of study participants were born in Sweden, and the average age of participants at the time of their first blood draw was just over 42 years.
The researchers measured a number of biomarkers that measure blood sugar levels and fat-related components such as total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein or “bad” cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Researchers followed participants for an average of 21 years to examine the development of stress-related disorders such as anxiety, depression, and acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Their analysis took into account certain covariates such as socioeconomic status, country of birth, fasting status at the time of blood measurement, age at blood measurement, and gender.
During the study period, 16,256 participants received a diagnosis of depression, anxiety, or stress-related disorder. The average age at diagnosis was 60.5 years. Approximately 3,000 participants received a diagnosis of depression and anxiety.
The study found that higher blood sugar and triglyceride levels were associated with a higher risk of all three mental illnesses, and higher levels of “good” cholesterol were associated with a lower risk. got it.
In a nested case-control analysis, researchers found that participants with anxiety, depression, or stress-related disorders had higher triglyceride, total cholesterol, and blood sugar levels in the 20 years before receiving a psychiatric diagnosis. I discovered more.
Dr. Alex Dimitriou, dual board certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry and Sleep Medicine, who was not involved in the study, noted: Today's medical news:
“This was an interesting study. High levels of glucose and triglycerides, and low levels of (healthy) HDL protein, were associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, and stress disorders…Elevated glucose and triglycerides, and lipid abnormalities may be associated with autonomic dysregulation (hypercortisol state). These markers may also be a sign of increased inflammation and are also associated with mental health conditions. .”
Although these findings are interesting, this study also had limitations. First, this study was conducted in a specific population, so the results may not be generalizable to other populations. Most of the study participants were also employed at the time of recruitment, making the results more difficult to generalize.
Future studies may include more diverse demographics in the sample to corroborate the findings of this study. A sensitivity analysis that looked at specific biomarkers “through outpatient referrals” found that higher levels of “bad” cholesterol, total cholesterol, and other factors were associated with a lower risk of mental illness. .
Although the conclusions regarding blood glucose levels and triglycerides remain consistent with the main results of the study, the results of this sensitivity analysis warrant further investigation.
Second, the researchers note the possibility of residual confounding and acknowledge that considering body mass index (BMI) in future studies may introduce variability in results.
An additional risk of detection bias existed because physicians were more likely to monitor individuals with abnormal biomarker levels.
Misclassification may also have occurred because researchers lacked the resources needed to collect data on mental disorders. For example, participants who did not seek treatment or who only saw their primary care physician were not classified as having a mental disorder.
A new diagnosis may also be a worsening of a disease that your doctor did not previously diagnose.
Chen-Han Chen, MD, board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, California, who was not involved in the study, provided these insights: also provided.
“As with any observational study, we cannot determine the direction of causation. People at risk for developing depression and anxiety disorders are more susceptible to underlying metabolic changes that affect glucose and triglyceride levels. This result may be confounded by attributes such as obesity and physical inactivity, which may be associated with both abnormal glucose/triglycerides and the risk of developing depression and anxiety. So far, these findings highlight the complex relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and mental health.”
Research results show that controlling and monitoring certain metabolic markers may benefit more than just physical health. Even as research advances, people can work with medical professionals to ensure that components such as cholesterol and blood sugar levels are kept within healthy ranges.
Dr. Jared Brownstein, a board-certified internist at Manhattan Medical Board who was not involved in the study, advised: MNT that “[t]The best things people can do to raise and lower blood sugar and triglyceride levels [high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels] Eat more good fats like olive oil, nuts, avocado, salmon, and tuna. ”
“Taking an omega-3 fish oil supplement is effective as well as increasing cardiovascular exercise. High-fat foods such as donuts, cookies, muffins, pies, and fried foods should also be avoided,” he says. emphasized.
The findings also point to the importance of doctors monitoring patients to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
Mr. Brownstein said:[t]The clinical implication is that we, as physicians, need to pay attention to depression and anxiety in patients with metabolic syndrome who have low blood pressure. [high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels] High triglyceride and blood sugar levels. ”
