Effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression and some involved neurotransmitters

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 269; pp. 28 - 35
• Main Authors: Kaviani, Mina, Nikooyeh, Bahareh, Zand, Hamid, Yaghmaei, Parichehreh, Neyestani, Tirang R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 15.05.2020
• Subjects: Adult; Depression; Depression - drug therapy; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Humans; Neurotransmitter Agents; Oxytocin; Psychiatric/Mental Health; RCT; Serotonin; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency; Vitamins; Depression; RCT; Vitamin D; Oxytocin; Serotonin
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.03.029

•Vitamin D and its receptors are in areas of brain that are in relation with mood and behavior.•Vitamin D regulates TPH2 (in brain) and TPH1 (in gut), in serotonin synthesis pathways.•Vitamin D may be an epigenetic factor in regulation and function of oxytocin. : Low vitamin D levels are associated with a dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and depression but a causal relationship has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression severity, serum 25(OH)D, and some neurotransmitters in patients with mild to moderate depression. : An 8-week double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 56 subjects with mild to moderate depression, aged 43.0 ± 1.15yrs. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups: intervention (50,000 IU cholecalciferol/2wks) and control (placebo). Biochemical parameters (serum 25(OH)D, iPTH, oxytocin and platelet serotonin), and depression severity (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II11BDI-II: Beck Depression Inventory-II)) were initially and finally assessed. : Following intervention, significant changes were observed in the intervention group compared to the controls: 25(OH)D concentrations increased (+40.83±28.57 vs. +5.14±23.44 nmol/L, P<0.001) and BDI scores decreased (-11.75±6.40 vs. -3.61±10.40, P = 0.003). Oxytocin concentrations were significantly reduced in controls (-6.49±13.69 ng/mL, P = 0.01), but between -group differences were insignificant. Within- and between-group differences of platelet serotonin concentrations were not significant; however, the increment in controls was higher (+0.86±10.82 vs. +0.26±9.38 ng/mL, P = 0.83). : Study duration may not reflect the long-term effects of vitamin D on depression. It seems necessary to assess tryptophan-hydroxylasetypes1&2 in relation to vitamin D in serotonin pathways. : Eight-week supplementation with 50,000 IU/2wks vitamin D, elevated 25(OH)D concentration of subjects with mild to moderate depression and significantly improved their depression severity. However, there was no evidence that the anti-depressive effect of vitamin D supplementation is mediated by the measured neurotransmitters.