Summary: Findings from a large meta-analysis study reveal that vitamin D supplementation may help relieve symptoms of depression.
Font: University of Eastern Finland
A large meta-analysis suggests that vitamin D supplementation may alleviate depressive symptoms in depressed adults. Conducted by an international team of researchers, the meta-analysis includes dozens of studies from around the world.
Depressive symptoms cause a significant disease burden worldwide. The therapeutic efficacy of current antidepressants is usually insufficient, so other ways of palliating the symptoms of depression have been sought, for example, from nutritional research.
Vitamin D is believed to regulate the functions of the central nervous system, disturbances of which have been associated with depression. Furthermore, cross-sectional studies have observed an association between depressive symptoms and vitamin D deficiency.
However, previous meta-analyses on the effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression have been inconclusive. In a meta-analysis, the results of several different studies are combined and analyzed statistically.
The new meta-analysis on the association of vitamin D supplementation with depression is the largest published to date and includes the results of 41 studies from around the world.
These studies have investigated the efficacy of vitamin D in relieving depressive symptoms in adults using randomized placebo-controlled trials in different populations.
The studies included those conducted in patients with depression, in the general population and in people with various physical conditions.
The results of the meta-analysis show that vitamin D supplementation is more effective than a placebo in relieving depressive symptoms in people with depression. There were important differences in the doses of vitamin D used, but vitamin D supplementation was typically 50 to 100 micrograms per day.
“Despite the broad scope of this meta-analysis, the certainty of the evidence remains low due to the heterogeneity of the populations studied and the risk of bias associated with a large number of studies,” said lead author and doctoral researcher Tuomas Mikola of says the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland. Meta-analysis is part of the Ph.D. of Mikola. thesis.
“These findings will encourage further high-level clinical trials in patients with depression to shed more light on the possible role of vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of depression,” Mikola concludes.
The meta-analysis was published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition and carried out in international collaboration between Finnish, Australian and American researchers.
About this research news on depression and vitamin D
Author: press office
Font: University of Eastern Finland
Contact: Press Office – University of Eastern Finland
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original research: Closed access.
“The effect of vitamin D supplementation on depressive symptoms in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.” by Tuomas Mikola et al. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Summary
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The effect of vitamin D supplementation on depressive symptoms in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
The neurosteroid and immunological actions of vitamin D may regulate physiology related to depression. Meta-analyses investigating the effect of vitamin D on depression have been inconsistent.
This meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of vitamin D in reducing depressive symptoms in adults in randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCTs).
General and clinical populations, and studies of sick people with systemic diseases were included. Phototherapy, cosupplementation (except calcium), and bipolar disorder were excluded.
Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify relevant articles in English published before April 2022. The Cochrane risk of bias (RoB 2) tool and GRADE were used to assess studies. Forty-one RCTs (north= 53,235) were included. Analyzes based on random effects models were performed with the Comprehensive Meta-analysis Software.
Results for the main result (north= 53,235) revealed a positive effect of vitamin D on depressive symptoms (Hedges’ gram= −0.317, 95% CI [−0.405, −0.230], p< 0.001, Itwo = 88.16%; GRADE: very low certainty). The RoB assessment was of concern in most studies. Despite the high heterogeneity, vitamin D supplementation ≥ 2000 IU/day seems to reduce depressive symptoms.
Future research should investigate the possible benefits of augmenting standard vitamin D treatments in clinical depression.
PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020149760. Funding: Finnish Medical Foundation, grant 4120 and Juho Vainio Foundation, grant 202100353.
