Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a number of ailments — rickets, osteoporosis, hypertension and certain neurological disorders.
Now a study at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, suggests that a lack of vitamin D also could lead to depression.
The study was published recently in the Mayo Clinic. The researchers, led by Dr. E. Sherwood Brown, a psychiatrist, examined the results of nearly 12,600 participants over four years.
Those with higher levels of vitamin D were found to be at the lowest risk for depression. And lower levels of the vitamin correlated strongly with an increased risk of depression, especially among those with a history of depression.
The possible link between depression and vitamin D has been the subject of a number of studies in recent years. The authors of this study say it's the largest conducted on the topic.
Brown said the results suggest a significant link but cautions that more research is needed before he can recommend people take supplements of the vitamins as a way to ward off depression.
McClatchey-Tribune
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement
Advertisement