Theobromine intake tied to depression risk

New data suggest a link between consumption of theobromine, a primary ingredient in chocolate, and an increased risk for depression.

“Increasing data also shows that dietary factors have an impact on depression symptoms. “Previous studies have reported a protective effect of chocolate against depression. In this regard, [theobromine] has been shown to protect cognitive function by regulating neurotransmitter signaling. Despite this, few population-based studies have investigated the link between theobromine in the diet and depression,” Xin-yu Li, of the department of interventional therapy at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China, wrote.

For the study, Li and colleagues examined data collected from 2017 to 2018 on 6,903 adults who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NHANES used the Automated Multiple Pass Method to obtain dietary data and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item depression screener (PHQ-9) to evaluate depressive symptoms.

Results showed that participants with depressive symptoms vs. those without symptoms tended to be younger (aged 49 years vs. 51.7 years). Those with increased theobromine intake, defined as at least 43 mg daily, reported more depressive symptoms than those with low intake (34.9% vs. 31.3%).

In a multivariate regression model, increased theobromine intake was associated with an increased risk for depression (OR = 1.17; 95CI CI, 1.02-1.34), with a subgroup analysis also showing similar results among participants aged younger than 60 years (P < .001) and among those without multiple morbidities, obesity or cancer.

“By showing an association between theobromine consumption and depression, our study further fuels the debate on the role of nutrition in mental health care and particularly in risk groups,” Li and colleagues wrote.

They noted, however, that the cross-sectional observational nature of their study prevented them from establishing causality and noted that further studies are necessary to “clarify the link between theobromine and mood states.”