A joint study by Korean and US scientists has found diets rich in minerals, especially potassium and zinc, were linked to a lower depression risk.
For their study, published in the journal Nutrients, researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using health data from Korea’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the US (NHANES) encompassing more than 22,000 study participants.
The scientists focused specifically on seven minerals – sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium – to examine their impact on depression risk.
Co-author Professor Minkook Son at Korea’s Dong-A University in Busan told medicalnewstoday. com: ‘These seven minerals are biologically relevant to brain function, neurotransmission and neuroinflammation, processes implicated in the pathophysiology of depression.’
The researchers found participants from both South Korea and the US who had higher levels of potassium had the lowest risk for depression ‘despite differences in dietary habits’. Professor Son noted: ‘This consistent association suggests potassium intake may play a fundamental role in mental health, supporting public health strategies to encourage potassium-rich diets as part of depression prevention efforts.’
When examining just Korean participants, researchers discovered higher sodium levels correlated to a reduced depression risk. Among US participants, higher levels of zinc were linked to lower odds of developing depression.
‘Cultural dietary patterns, primary food sources of each mineral and differences in bioavailability likely contribute to these discrepancies,’ Professor Son explained. ‘In Korea, sodium intake is high due to fermented and broth-based dishes, potentially interacting with other nutrients to influence mood.
‘In the US, zinc intake from animal protein sources may play a more prominent role in neurochemical pathways relevant to depression.
‘These variations underscore the importance of considering population-specific nutritional contexts when evaluating mental health risk factors. But because our study is cross-sectional, it cannot establish causality.’
