Associations between vitamin D levels and depressive symptoms in healthy young adult women
Associations between vitamin D levels and depressive symptoms in healthy young adult women
Highlights
Depressive symptoms and vitamin D were measured in 185 healthy women across 4 weeks.
Significant symptoms and vitamin D insufficiency were common, and differed by season.
Initially low vitamin D levels were associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms across follow-up.
Between-subjects differences in depression by season were partially explained by seasonal changes in vitamin D.
Racial-ethnic differences in depression were partially explained by group differences in vitamin D levels.
Abstract
There have been few studies of whether vitamin D insufficiency is linked with depression in healthy young women despite women׳s high rates of both problems. Female undergraduates (n=185) living in the Pacific Northwest during fall, winter, and spring academic terms completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale weekly for 4 weeks (W1W5). We measured serum levels of vitamin D3 and C (ascorbate; as a control variable) in blood samples collected at W1 and W5. Vitamin D insufficiency (<30 ng/mL) was common at W1 (42%) and W5 (46%), and rates of clinically significant depressive symptoms (CES-D?16) were 3442% at W1W5. Lower W1 vitamin D3 predicted clinically significant depressive symptoms across W1W5 (?=?0.20, p<0.05), controlling for season, BMI, race/ethnicity, diet, exercise, and time outside. There was some evidence that lower levels of depressive symptoms in Fall participants (vs. Winter and Spring) were explained by their higher levels of vitamin D3. W1 depressive symptoms did not predict change in vitamin D3 levels from W1 to W5. Findings are consistent with a temporal association between low levels of vitamin D and clinically meaningful depressive symptoms. The preventive value of supplementation should be tested further.
bananas
(27,509 posts)Women With Low Vitamin D More Likely To Report Depression
Posted on March 18, 2015
Medical Research: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Dr. Kerr: Many people assume we already know that low levels of vitamin D contribute to depression, especially in winter. However, studies have not found consistent evidence for this, and most studies have focused on people in late life or with serious medical conditions. We focused on apparently healthy young women living in the Pacific Northwest. We found that women with low blood levels of vitamin D were more likely to report clinically significant depressive symptoms. This link existed even when we considered other factors that might explain both problems, such as diet, obesity, and time of year.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Dr. Kerr: Healthy young women are nonetheless at risk for depression and vitamin D deficiency. In our study, women of color and women who did not take a vitamin supplement commonly showed vitamin D insufficiency, especially in Winter. Given the established negative consequences of vitamin D deficiency for longterm physical health, supplementation seems warranted whether or not our findings on depression are supported in future research.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Dr. Kerr: A clinical trial of vitamin D supplementation directed at preventing or reducing symptoms in at-risk young women would offer a more conclusive test of these questions.
PADemD
(4,482 posts)PeoViejo
(2,178 posts)Men also suffer Depression due to low Vitamin D levels.
DamnYankeeInHouston
(1,365 posts)I used to get so depressed every winter in the northeast.
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)A lot of people in southern cities stay inside, and so even though the sun is out, vitamin D levels are often just as low population wise in Phoenix, AZ as in Seattle, WA.
classykaren
(769 posts)So do many Floridians. Have script for D3 still low. Could this be from GMO's ?
HuckleB
(35,773 posts)It's hot as hell in Florida and Arizona in the summer, so people live in the AC filled indoors. Thus, the same effect occurs as if one was spending winter in a northern area.
LiberalArkie
(15,686 posts)that showed sales of Prozac and sales of sunscreen. What was were was that they tracked pretty nicely, thus indicating that people were not getting the sun they needed. This study may not be true any more, but it was interesting anyway.
Hestia
(3,818 posts)morning sun (8-9 am.) for 15-20 minutes each morning (barring weather) without sunscreen so their skin could absorb D3. Sure beats taking a prescription. The darker your skin, the more time needed out in the sun.
LiberalArkie
(15,686 posts)Researchers at UC San Diego and Creighton University have challenged the intake of vitamin D recommended by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Institute of Medicine (IOM), stating that their Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D underestimates the need by a factor of ten.
snip
The recommended intake of vitamin D specified by the IOM is 600 IU/day through age 70 years, and 800 IU/day for older ages. Calculations by us and other researchers have shown that these doses are only about one-tenth those needed to cut incidence of diseases related to vitamin D deficiency, Garland explained.
Robert Heaney, M.D., of Creighton University wrote: "We call for the NAS-IOM and all public health authorities concerned with transmitting accurate nutritional information to the public to designate, as the RDA, a value of approximately 7,000 IU/day from all sources.
snip