A 2016 randomized controlled trial of Vitamin D supplementation in people with major depressive disorder purportedly saw an antidepressant effect,[1] but this study was retracted in 2021 due to concerns over the validity of the participant data.[2]
A number of observational studies have found that people with depression are more likely to have low vitamin D levels.[3] However, randomized controlled trials don’t consistently find beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression.[4][5] One reason for this could be that benefits only occur if a person has sufficiently severe depression symptoms. In support of this, two meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials found that vitamin D supplementation reduced the severity of depression symptoms in people with depression, but had no effect on depression symptoms in people without depression.[6][7]
References
- ^Sepehrmanesh Z, Kolahdooz F, Abedi F, Mazroii N, Assarian A, Asemi Z, Esmaillzadeh AVitamin D Supplementation Affects the Beck Depression Inventory, Insulin Resistance, and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical TrialJ Nutr.(2016 Feb)
- ^Retraction of Vitamin D Supplementation Affects the Beck Depression Inventory, Insulin Resistance, and Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial. J Nutr 2016;146(2):243-8.J Nutr.(2021 May 11)
- ^Wilczyński KM, Chęcińska K, Kulczyk K, Janas-Kozik MVitamin D deficiency and depressive symptoms: meta-analysis of studies .Psychiatr Pol.(2022-Dec-31)
- ^Dean AJ, Bellgrove MA, Hall T, Phan WM, Eyles DW, Kvaskoff D, McGrath JJEffects of vitamin D supplementation on cognitive and emotional functioning in young adults--a randomised controlled trialPLoS One.(2011)
- ^Yalamanchili V, Gallagher JCTreatment with hormone therapy and calcitriol did not affect depression in older postmenopausal women: no interaction with estrogen and vitamin D receptor genotype polymorphismsMenopause.(2012 Jun)
- ^Wang R, Xu F, Xia X, Xiong A, Dai D, Ling Y, Sun R, Qiu L, Ding Y, Xie ZThe effect of vitamin D supplementation on primary depression: A meta-analysis.J Affect Disord.(2024-Jan-01)
- ^Srifuengfung M, Srifuengfung S, Pummangura C, Pattanaseri K, Oon-Arom A, Srisurapanont MEfficacy and acceptability of vitamin D supplements for depressed patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Nutrition.(2023-Jan-07)