Written by Jessica Patella, ND. In this study of 5966 participants, those with Vitamin D levels greater than 75nmol/L had a 43% reduced risk of depression and a 67% decreased risk of panic attacks.
Depression, anxiety, panic and phobias are all common mental disorders that are prevalent in the general population (1). Approximately 450 million people worldwide suffer from mental disorders, which results in the leading cause of disability (1, 2). Recent research shows low levels of vitamin D increase the risk for depression and phobia, common mental disorders, in middle-aged adults (3).
Vitamin D is actually a hormone that is mostly obtained from sun exposure (4). For this reason, lifestyle factors are important in determining how much additional vitamin D might be needed from dietary sources or supplementation (3, 4). To understand vitamin D levels in the body, measuring blood levels is the best option (3).
Recent research included 5,966 participants from the 1958 British cohort. All the participants were born in March, 1958 in the United Kingdom and were followed from childhood to 50 years of age (3). When the participants were 45 years of age, vitamin D blood levels were measured and a trained nurse conducted mental health surveys (3).
Of the four common mental disorders, depression was the most common (8%), followed by anxiety (6.8%), phobia (4.1%) and panic (1.5%). Participants with the above mental disorders were less physically active and more likely to be obese (BMI > 30; p<0.04), less likely to seek a suntan (p=0.017), more likely to smoke heavily (> 20 cigarettes per day; p<0.001), more likely to be women (p<0.001), and spent more time watching television or using a computer (>3 hours per day; p<0.01) compared to participants without common mental disorders (3).
When taking into account vitamin D levels, participants with vitamin D blood levels greater than 75 nmol/l had 43% lower odds of depression (95% CI 19-60%) and 67% lower odds of panic (95% CI 25-85%) compared to those with vitamin D levels lower than 25 nmol/l. There was no relationship with vitamin D blood levels and phobia or anxiety (3).
In conclusion, low vitamin D blood levels were associated with a higher prevalence of depression and panic. This is the first study to include a comprehensive range of vitamin D related lifestyle factors that affect levels of vitamin D (3). It is important to note the study included mostly white British adults and therefore may not be representative of the general population (3).
Source: Maddock, Jane, et al. “Vitamin D and common mental disorders in mid-life: cross-sectional and prospective findings.” Clinical nutrition 32.5 (2013): 758-764.
© 2013 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.
Posted February 25, 2013.
Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.
References:
- LopezAD. The evolution of the global burden of disease framework for disease, injury and risk factor quantification: developing the evidence base for national, regional and global public health action. Glob Health 2005;1:5.
- Ebmeier KP, et al. Recent developments and current controversies in depression. Lancet 2006;367:153e67.
- Maddock J, et al., Vitamin D and common mental disorders in mid-life: Cross-sectional and prospective findings, Clinical Nutrition (2013)
- Update on vitamin D. London: SACN; 2007.
