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Depressive symptoms, fruit and vegetables consumption and urinary 3-indoxylsulfate concentration: a nested case–control study in the French Nutrinet-Sante cohort

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Abstract

Purpose

Previous epidemiologic studies have provided some evidence of an inverse association between fruit and vegetables consumption and risk of developing recurrent depressive symptoms. This association could possibly be explained by the role of such dietary factors on the gut microbiota. Especially, indole, a metabolite of tryptophan produced by gut bacteria, may be associated with the development of mood disorders. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between fruit and vegetables intake, recurrent depressive symptoms and indole, using measurement of its main urinary excretion form, i.e., 3-indoxylsulfate, as a biomarker.

Methods

A nested case–control study was conducted in 891 women (aged 45–65) participating to the web-based NutriNet-Santé cohort with available dietary data and biological samples. Cases (individuals with recurrent depressive symptoms, n = 297) were defined as having two Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D) scores ≥ 16 during the follow-up and were matched with 2 controls having two CES-D scores < 16. Urinary 3-indoxylsulfate concentration was measured as a biomarker of indole production by the gut microbiota. Multivariable conditional logistic regression models were used to test the association of both fruit and vegetables consumption and urine 3-indoxylsulfate measurements with recurrent depressive symptoms. We also tested the association between fruit and vegetables consumption and urinary 3-indoxylsulfate levels using multivariate analysis of variance models.

Results

We found a significant inverse association between fruit and vegetables consumption and the risk of having recurrent depressive symptoms over a 2-year period. Fruit and vegetables consumption was inversely associated to urinary 3-indoxylsulfate concentration. However, no significant association was observed between urinary 3-indoxylsulfate levels and recurrent depressive symptoms within this sample.

Conclusions

Our results confirm that low fruit and vegetables consumption could be associated with recurrent depressive symptoms. We also found an inverse association between fruit and vegetable intake and urinary levels of 3-indoxylsulfate. However, it is not possible to conclude to a possible mediation role of the indole produced by the gut microbiota from tryptophan, since there was no relationship between 3-indoxylsulfate and recurrent depressive symptoms.

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Notes

  1. 2/3 of this category are constituted of individuals with intermediate position between manual workers + employees and managerial staff. The other third is constituted of intermediate professions in a more figurative way such as teachers, nurses and social workers.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Cédric Agaesse (dietitian); Thi Hong Van Duong, Younes Esseddik (IT manager), Paul Flanzy, Régis Gatibelza and Jagatjit Mohinder (computer scientists); and Julien Allegre, Nathalie Arnault and Laurent Bourhis (data manager/statisticians) for their technical contribution to the NutriNet-Santé study. We thank all the volunteers of the NutriNet-Santé cohort.

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Author notes

  1. Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot, Pilar Galan are contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sorbonne Paris Cité Epidemiology and Statistics Research Center (CRESS), Inserm U1153, INRAE U1125, Cnam, Paris 13 University, Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), 74 rue Marcel Cachin, 93017, Bobigny, France

    Fabien Szabo de Edelenyi, Nathalie Druesne-Pecollo, Serge Hercberg, Paule Latino-Martel, Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot & Pilar Galan

  2. INRAE, AgroParisTech, Micalis Institute, Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France

    Catherine Philippe, Laurent Naudon & Sylvie Rabot

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  1. Fabien Szabo de Edelenyi
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Contributions

FS analyzed the data. FS wrote the manuscript. CP analyzed 3-indoxylsulfate and creatinine. PG, PM, NDP, LN, SR and EKG provided continuous scientific advice for the study and for the interpretation of results. These authors also critically reviewed the manuscript. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fabien Szabo de Edelenyi.

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On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Szabo de Edelenyi, F., Philippe, C., Druesne-Pecollo, N. et al. Depressive symptoms, fruit and vegetables consumption and urinary 3-indoxylsulfate concentration: a nested case–control study in the French Nutrinet-Sante cohort. Eur J Nutr 60, 1059–1069 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02306-0

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