Association between Caffeine Consumption and Depression in NHANES 2009-2010.

Background and purpose: Caffeine is ubiquitous in foods, supplements, and medications and has been hypothesized to be associated with several health-related outcomes, including mental health disorders such as anxiety. We explored a possible relationship between caffeine consumption and depression using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Methods: Data from 1,342 adult NHANES participants were included. Statistical software for complex survey sample designs was used to perform two multivariable logistic regressions with a binary indicator of depression as the dependent variable: one using dietary caffeine consumption and one using the caffeine metabolite AAMU as the independent variable. Both analyses were adjusted for gender, race/ethnicity, smoking status, and use of anti-depressants.

Results: We observed a descriptive, albeit non-significant (p = 0.12), pattern of increasing odds of depression with increasing levels of the AAMU caffeine metabolite.

Conclusion: Our finding of a possible association between caffeine metabolite level and depression is compelling because it is independent of self-reported caffeine consumption. Prospective studies are warranted to further explore the temporal relationship.