Association between folate intake and suicidal ideation: NHANES 2005-2018 and Mendelian randomization

Previous findings indicated that there was an association between folate intake and suicidal behaviors. Nevertheless, whether folate intake influences suicidal ideation remains inconclusive. Consequently, this research focuses on investigating the link between folate intake and suicidal ideation.

The data utilized came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database, with a coverage period of 2005-2018. We examined the correlation between folate intake and suicidal ideation by applying weighted logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models, and subgroup analysis. Mendelian randomization (MR) was utilized as an instrumental variable method to evaluate the potential causality.

The NHANES analysis revealed a non-linear inverse relationship between folate intake and suicidal ideation (P for nonlinear: 0.014). After adjusting for all covariates, participants in the fourth quartile of folate intake demonstrated a 38 % diminished risk of suicidal ideation relative to those in the first quartile, for each incremental unit of folate intake (OR: 0.62, 95%CI: 0.44-0.89). Subgroup analysis revealed that the relationship between folate intake and suicidal ideation remained consistent across gender, race, smoking status, diabetes, hypertension and depression (P for interaction>0.05). Nevertheless, the Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was unable to show causality between folate intake and suicidal ideation (OR: 0.944, 95%CI: 0.788-1.131, P: 0.533).

An inverse connection was observed between folate intake and suicidal ideation, but no causal relationship was established.