Lee Swanson Research Update

Vitamin D Levels Linked to Increased Depression Risk

December 2010

The likelihood of having depression is significantly increased in people with deficient levels of vitamin D, compared to people with adequate levels of the "sunshine vitamin," according to a new study.

Data from the third U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey revealed that people with vitamin D deficiency were at an 85% increased risk of having current depressive episodes, compared with people with sufficient levels, according to findings published in the International Archives of Medicine.

"It is not known whether Vitamin D deficiency leads to the depression or depression leads to the vitamin D deficiency," wrote the researchers from Georgia State University. "Further studies are needed in deciphering the precise role of vitamin D in psychosomatic disorders.

"Although the direction of the cause-and-effect relation between depression and vitamin D deficiency is not known clearly at this time, in public health perspective, the coexistence of vitamin D and depression in the U.S. population at large is a concern," they added.

"It is important to identify persons who are at risk for vitamin D deficiency and/or for depression and to intervene early because these two conditions have enormous negative consequences on long-term health."

Vijay Ganji Ph.D., R.D. and his Georgia State co-workers analyzed data from 7,970 U.S. residents aged between 15 and 39. Assessments of depression were performed using the National Institute of Mental Health’s Diagnostic Interview Schedule.

Results showed that people with blood levels of vitamin D of 50 nanomoles per liter or less were at an 85% increased risk of having current depressive episodes, compared to people with blood levels of at least 75 nanomoles per liter.

"The mechanism through which vitamin D plays a role in mental health is not clearly understood," the researchers said. "Active vitamin D enhances glutathione metabolism in neurons, therefore it promotes antioxidant activities that protect them from oxidative degenerative processes."

The researchers also note that vitamin D is involved in gene expressions for the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine. The researchers stress, however, that their results do not prove that vitamin D deficiency causes depression, and called for additional studies to decipher the association between vitamin D and depression.

International Archives of Medicine 3(1):29, 2010

New to Natural Health?
Tools
Customer Service