Increased vitamin D intake may reduce psychological anxiety and the incidence of menstrual irregularities in female athletes

Associations between the intake of single and multiple dietary vitamins and depression risk among populations with chronic kidney disease

Background

The effects of multivitamin exposure on depression among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have not been thoroughly explored. This study aimed to explore the effects of individual vitamin intakes and the joint effect of the intake of multiple vitamins (including vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, D, E, and K) on depression risk in participants with CKD.

Methods

A total of 3,123 participants with CKD (weighted n = 25,186,480) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database from 2007 to 2014 were included. Weighted multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to analyze the associations of individual dietary vitamin intakes with depression risk. Additionally, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) and weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression were performed to evaluate the joint effect of the intake of the nine vitamins on depression risk.

Results

The overall prevalence of depression was approximately 11.3% in the study participants. In the fully adjusted model, high intakes of vitamin A (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.40-0.74), vitamin B1 (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.48-0.95), vitamin B6 (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.49-0.99), vitamin D (OR: 0.67. 95% CI: 0.48-0.94), and vitamin K (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.44-0.85) were associated with a reduced likelihood of depression. BKMR and WQS regression showed that the joint effect of the intake of the nine dietary vitamins had a significant negative effect on depression, with vitamin A intake being the largest contributor in the two models. Lastly, WQS regression reflected the total mixed exposure effect of the nine vitamins (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.69-0.99).

Conclusion

High intakes of vitamins A, B1, B6, D, and K are associated with low depression risk in patients with CKD. Furthermore, co-exposure to the nine dietary vitamins is a crucial factor contributing to low depression risk in this population.

Anxiety, eating disorders and menstrual disturbances risk in Spanish elite female paddlers

Affiliated athletes are frequently subject to higher levels of anxiety due to the intensity of training, competition and many other factors. This anxiety can cause alterations in their health, both physically and mentally, such as menstrual irregularities, eating disorders, etc. In this work we have analysed the anxiety levels of a population of female affiliated paddlers and the possible consequences for their health. The results showed that a third of the female paddlers analysed have a moderate/high risk of suffering from anxiety; and within this group, the less sporting experience the athlete has, the greater the probability is of suffering from anxiety. Moreover, almost half the total of the female paddlers suffers from menstrual dysfunction before an important competition, with this number rising among high performance athletes, even though three out of every four adjust their training schedule to their menstrual cycle. Less-experienced female athletes, who show higher anxiety levels, also present a greater risk of suffering from eating disorders.

Sleep duration has a limited impact on the prevalence of menstrual irregularities in athletes: a cross-sectional study

Background

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of menstrual irregularities, energy intake, and sleep deprivation among female athletes.

Methods

A total of 128 female athletes, with an average age of 19.2 ± 1.2 years, participated in the study and tracked their food intake over a three-day period. Menstrual status and sleep duration were assessed using a questionnaire, and psychological anxiety was evaluated using the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). These were measured once during the investigation. The impact of sleep status on state anxiety and daily energy intake was examined using the T-test. A generalized linear model (GLM) with a log link function was employed to investigate the effects of sleep deprivation on the presence of menstrual irregularities.

Results

As the results of the present study, sleep deprivation significant increased both state and trait anxiety (p < 0.05), as well as affecting energy intake (p < 0.05), particularly protein and carbohydrate intakes (p < 0.05). However, GLM analysis indicated that while sleep deprivation did not directly influence the prevalence of menstrual irregularities (p > 0.05), state anxiety emerged as a significant factor impacting the prevalence of menstrual irregularities (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The results of the present study suggest a potential pathway wherein sleep deprivation might elevate state anxiety levels, consequently indirectly contributing to an increase the probability of menstrual irregularities. In conclusion, the results of the presents study provide novels insights suggesting that sleep deprivation might directly increase state anxiety and indirectly affect the prevalence of menstrual irregularities. Hence, decreased sleep duration might be related to mental health issues and the prevalence of menstrual irregularities both significant concerns among female athletes. Future studies will play a crucial role in further elucidating how sleep patterns impact the health and well-being of female athletes.

Association between dietary intake of vitamin D and risk of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders among physically active adults: a cross-sectional study

Introduction

Rare studies have been done to investigate the association between dietary intakes of vitamin D and the risk of mental health disorders among athletes. The current study aimed to investigate the association between this vitamin intake and the risk of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders among a group of Iranian physically active adults.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 690 healthy athletes (18-50 years, mean BMI between 20 and 30) in Kashan, Iran. The usual dietary intake of participants was assessed by a 147-item FFQ. Depression was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (21-item), anxiety by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (21-item), and sleep disorders by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaires. Statistical analyses were done by using SPSS version 18. p values < 0.05 were considered significant.

Results

No significant association was found between vitamin D dietary intake and risk of depression in the full-adjusted model (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.62, 1.51). In contrast, participants at the highest tertile of vitamin D consumption had a 49% lower risk of anxiety than those at the lowest tertile (OR: 0.51, 95%: 0.29, 0.87). Moreover, a significant 46% lower risk of sleep disorders was found among those with the highest intake of vitamin D in comparison to participants with the lowest intake (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.78).

Conclusion

We found a significant association between dietary vitamin D intake and reduced risk of anxiety and sleep disorders, but not with depression, in this study. Further prospective studies are recommended for future investigations.

Exploring the relationship between nutritional intake and menstrual cycle in elite female athletes

This study aimed to examine potential variations in nutritional intake among female athletes, including top-level, throughout the menstrual cycle. A total 122 female athletes participated in the study, documenting their food consumption over a 3-day period. The menstrual status of female athletes was also assessed, and using the survey results, the phase of the menstrual cycle (the follicular, early luteal, or late luteal) during which each meal was recorded was determined. Consequently, the meal records were categorized into the respective three phases. The findings of this study indicated that there were no notable disparities in nutritional intake, encompassing energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, calcium, iron, and fiber, across the three phases of the menstrual cycle. The results imply that female athletes may experience comparatively smaller variations in nutrient intake related to the menstrual cycle. This could be attributed to the higher energy requirements of female athletes because of their rigorous training. This study underscores the significance of accounting for the population when examining nutrient intake changes associated with the menstrual cycle.