Adequate Vitamin D Levels Associated with Lower Risk of Depression

by | Aug 28, 2023 | 2023, Brain Health, Depression, Vitamin D - Mental Health

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. Cross-sectional findings using data from NHANES shows a significant association between vitamin D levels and depression scores (p < 0.0001). 

depressed young manMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by pervasive low mood and/or a loss of interest in things normally found enjoyable1. MDD is one of the most common psychiatric diseases and a leading cause of years lived with disability2. Behavioral symptoms of depression cover emotional, motivational, cognitive, and physiological domains, and include aberrant reward-associated perception and memory alterations3.

A growing body of research links vitamin D to the pathophysiology of depression4. Vitamin D is known as a secosteroid hormone and plays a role in many important processes, such as promoting cell growth and differentiation, facilitating immunomodulation regulation, and being involved in neurotransmission5. Three lines of evidence support the role of vitamin D in depression, and they include an increased region-specific expression of vitamin D receptors in brain areas known to play a key role in mood regulation, the anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D, and the emerging insights about the neuroprotective properties of vitamin D6.

Ma et al. conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the 2007-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative survey to analyze the health and nutritional status of Americans. 7562 adults with available information on vitamin D concentrations and depression questionnaire scores were included in the final analysis. Serum vitamin D concentrations were obtained by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Depressive symptoms were assessed by subjects completing the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) program. A variety of covariates, such as gender, age, race, household income, education level, marital status, BMI, waist circumference, and nutritional intake were included in the analysis.

A stratified analysis combining depression scores and serum vitamin D concentrations was conducted. Furthermore, a multivariable logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the likelihood of developing depressive symptoms. Of the 7562 subjects, the average age was 49.22 ± 16.88 years. Median level of serum vitamin D was 65.68 ± 27.40 nmol/L and 11.17% of subjects experienced depressive symptoms. Significant findings of the study are as follows:

  • Results of the analysis analyzing the association between vitamin D levels and depression scores shows a significant association between the two variables (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.99-1.00, p < 0.0001).
  • Subgroup analysis findings show a significant interaction between vitamin D levels and age (p-value < 0.05). The association between vitamin D levels and depression scores was most significant among participants aged 29-39 (OR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.00) compared to those aged 40-58 and 59-80 (OR: 1.00, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.01).

Results of the cross-sectional study using data from NHANES shows a negative association between serum vitamin D levels and depressive symptoms in subjects aged 29-39 years. Further research including large-scale studies are necessary to better comprehend the effects of vitamin D on depressive symptoms. Study limitations include assessing depressive status using one questionnaire, lack of a comprehensive psychiatric diagnosis of participants, the potential for confounding variables, and the inability to infer causality due to the cross-sectional study design.

Source: Ma, Jiwen, and Ka Li. “Negative Association between Serum Vitamin D Levels and Depression in a Young Adult US Population: A Cross-Sectional Study of NHANES 2007–2018.” Nutrients 15, no. 13 (2023): 2947.

Click here to read the full text study.

Posted August 28, 2023.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

References:

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  2. Kraus C, Kadriu B, Lanzenberger R, Zarate CA, Jr., Kasper S. Prognosis and improved outcomes in major depression: a review. Transl Psychiatry. Apr 3 2019;9(1):127. doi:10.1038/s41398-019-0460-3
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