Gordon B Parker1, Heather Brotchie2, Rebecca K Graham2. 1. School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia. Electronic address: g.parker@unsw.edu.au. 2. School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia; Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is associated with depression and whether vitamin D supplementation is an effective treatment for depression. METHOD: Empirical papers published in recent years were identified using three search engines and online databases - PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane Database. Specific search terms used were 'vitamin D', 'depression' and 'treatment' and articles were selected that examined the association between vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency and depression, vitamin D supplementation and Vitamin D as a treatment for depression. Our review weighted more recent studies (from 2011), although also considered earlier publications. RESULTS: Empirical studies appear to provide increasing evidence for an association between vitamin D insufficiency and depression, and for vitamin D supplementation and augmentation in those with clinical depression who are vitamin D deficient. Methodological limitations associated with many of the studies are detailed. LIMITATIONS: Articles were restricted to those in the English language while publication bias may have weighted studies with positive findings. CONCLUSIONS: There remains a need for empirical studies to move beyond cross-sectional designs to undertake more randomised controlled longitudinal trials so as to clarify the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of depression and its management, as well as to establish whether currently suggested associations are clinically significant and distinctive.
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether vitamin Ddeficiency or insufficiency is associated with depression and whether vitamin D supplementation is an effective treatment for depression. METHOD: Empirical papers published in recent years were identified using three search engines and online databases - PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane Database. Specific search terms used were 'vitamin D', 'depression' and 'treatment' and articles were selected that examined the association between vitamin Ddeficiency/insufficiency and depression, vitamin D supplementation and Vitamin D as a treatment for depression. Our review weighted more recent studies (from 2011), although also considered earlier publications. RESULTS: Empirical studies appear to provide increasing evidence for an association between vitamin Dinsufficiency and depression, and for vitamin D supplementation and augmentation in those with clinical depression who are vitamin D deficient. Methodological limitations associated with many of the studies are detailed. LIMITATIONS: Articles were restricted to those in the English language while publication bias may have weighted studies with positive findings. CONCLUSIONS: There remains a need for empirical studies to move beyond cross-sectional designs to undertake more randomised controlled longitudinal trials so as to clarify the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of depression and its management, as well as to establish whether currently suggested associations are clinically significant and distinctive.
Authors: Jaeyoung Hong; Kathryn E Hatchell; Jonathan P Bradfield; Andrew Bjonnes; Alessandra Chesi; Chao-Qiang Lai; Carl D Langefeld; Lingyi Lu; Yingchang Lu; Pamela L Lutsey; Solomon K Musani; Mike A Nalls; Cassianne Robinson-Cohen; Jeffery D Roizen; Richa Saxena; Katherine L Tucker; Julie T Ziegler; Dan E Arking; Joshua C Bis; Eric Boerwinkle; Erwin P Bottinger; Donald W Bowden; Vicente Gilsanz; Denise K Houston; Heidi J Kalkwarf; Andrea Kelly; Joan M Lappe; Yongmei Liu; Erin D Michos; Sharon E Oberfield; Nicholette D Palmer; Jerome I Rotter; Bishwa Sapkota; John A Shepherd; James G Wilson; Saonli Basu; Ian H de Boer; Jasmin Divers; Barry I Freedman; Struan F A Grant; Hakon Hakanarson; Tamara B Harris; Bryan R Kestenbaum; Stephen B Kritchevsky; Ruth J F Loos; Jill M Norris; Arnita F Norwood; Jose M Ordovas; James S Pankow; Bruce M Psaty; Dharambir K Sanghera; Lynne E Wagenknecht; Babette S Zemel; James Meigs; Josée Dupuis; Jose C Florez; Thomas Wang; Ching-Ti Liu; Corinne D Engelman; Liana K Billings Journal: J Clin Endocrinol Metab Date: 2018-04-01 Impact factor: 5.958