Vitamin D may help with depression
Vitamin D may alleviate depressive symptoms because the vitamin regulates some functions of the central nervous system. These are the findings of a study led by the University of Eastern Finland.
Vitamin D may alleviate depression in adults, according to a meta-study by an international team of researchers under the power of the University of Eastern Finland suggests. The experts evaluated dozens of studies from all over the world according to scientific criteria.
Antidepressants conditionally effective
Depressive symptoms cause a significant burden of disease worldwide. The therapeutic effectiveness of current antidepressants is often insufficient, which is why nutritional researchers, for example, are seeking new ways to alleviate symptoms. According to researcher Tuomas Mikola, vitamin D regulates central nervous system functions, disorders of which have been linked to depression. In addition, cross-sectional studies have observed a link between depressive symptoms and vitamin D deficiency, he said.
The new meta-analysis on associations between vitamin D supplementation and depression is the largest published to date. Previous studies have examined the effectiveness of vitamin D in alleviating depressive symptoms in adults in different populations. They included patients with depression, the general population, and people with various physical illnesses. The results showed that vitamin D supplementation was more effective than placebo in relieving depressive symptoms. There was wide variation in the doses of vitamin D used, but typically it was 50 to 100 micrograms per day.
320 million people affected
The results are not conclusive, Mikola says. That's why he proposes to specifically research what effect vitamin D administration has on depressed people, administered in addition to standard drug treatment. A solution to the problem would be a blessing for mankind, because according to World Health Organization more than 320 million people worldwide.
