Vitamin D deficiency and psychiatric illness: evidence-based review

Supplementation might help patients with depression, seasonal mood disturbances

Current Psychiatry Vol. 12, No. 04 / April 2013

• Herbert W. Harris, MD, PhD; Medical Director, Rho, Chapel Hill, NC

• Pranay Jaiswal, MD; Research Coordinator, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC

• Valerie Holmes, MD; Consulting Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

• Richard H. Weisler, MD; Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC

• Ashwin A. Patkar, MD, MRCPsych; Associate Professor, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC

PDF is attached at the bottom of this page

The PDF includes reference to 2 Random Controlled Trials

Both trials used used only 40,000 IU weekly,

One trial found a benefit, the other did not.

Note: one trial used obese subjects – those would need much more vitamin D to raise the blood level.

See also VitaminDWiki

• 40,000 IU vitamin D weekly reduced depression in many obese subjects – RCT 2008 one of the RCT referenced

• A protocol to review of vitamin D supplementation in depression in adults – Aug 2013

• 99 percent of psychiatric population had less than 30 ng of vitamin D – June 2013

• All items in category Depression and Vitamin D items