New Hope for Depression

Vitamin D used to be known just for helping build strong bones. But recent research is discovering benefits for a huge variety of conditions, from cancer to heart health to pain relief. A new and emerging body of evidence is now suggesting the possibility that vitamin D may also offer hope for people suffering from depression. . . .

Though there were not yet any placebo-controlled studies, when researchers reviewed high quality studies of vitamin D and depression, they found evidence that vitamin D could be an antidepressant. The studies,which included 31,424 people, found that women who are not suffering from depression have significantly higher levels of vitamin D than women who are depressed. They also found that the risk of being depressed is higher in people who have the lowest levels of vitamin D (Br J Psychiatry 2013;doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.111.106666).

And now a new study is adding evidence to that conclusion. The new study looked at 185 women and lasted four weeks. It found that having low levels of vitamin D is associated with being depressed (Psychiatry Res 2015;doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2015.02.016). 

In the first double-blind study that we are aware of, vitamin D again showed promise for depression. In this study, forty people with major depressive disorder took either their 20mg prescription of Prozac or their Prozac plus 1500 IU of vitamin D for eight weeks. The people who added the vitamin D to their Prozac did significantly better than the people who took the Prozac alone (Aust NZ J Psychiatry 2013;47:271-5).

Recently, an international team of researchers who reviewed over 100 articles on seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and vitamin D, have suggested that vitamin D plays a “foundational role” in SAD (Med Hypothesis 2014;83:517-25).

So, in addition to all its other benefits, vitamin D may offer new hope for people struggling through depression.