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Teens no longer depressed after vitamin D raised to 36 ng – Feb 2012

Depressed adolescents in a case-series were low in vitamin D and depression was ameliorated by vitamin D supplementation

Acta Paediatrica Vol. 101 Issue 3
Göran Högberg 1,2, gor.hogberg at gmail.com
Sven A. Gustafsson 3,
Tore Hällström 4,5,
Tove Gustafsson 6,
Björn Klawitter 2,
Maria Petersson 6
1 Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit, Astrid Lindgren Children?s Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
2 Stockholm Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm, BUP Huddinge Stockholm,Sweden
3 Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Section of Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
4 Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Section for Psychiatry, Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
5 Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Unit for Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
6 Departement of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Endocrine and Diabetes Unit, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm,Sweden

Aim:? The relationship between depression in adolescents and vitamin D was studied in a case-series which included effects of vitamin D supplementation.

Methods:? Serum 25OH vitamin D (25OHD) levels in 54 Swedish depressed adolescents were investigated.
Subjects with vitamin D deficiency were given vitamin D3 over three months (n=48).

To evaluate well-being and symptoms related to depression and vitamin D status the WHO-5 well-being scale,
The Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ-S), and a vitamin D deficiency scale were used.

Results:? Mean serum 25OHD in the depressed adolescents was 41 at baseline and 91 nmol/L (p<0.001) after supplementation.

Basal 25OHD levels correlated positively to well-being (p<0.05).

After vitamin D supplementation

  • well-being increased (p<0.001)

and there was a significant improvement in seven of the nine items in the vitamin D deficiency scale; in

  • depressed feeling (p<0.001),
  • irritability (p<0.05), (p<0.001),
  • tiredness (p<0.001),
  • mood swings (p<0.01),
  • sleep difficulties (p<0.01),
  • weakness (p<0.05),
  • ability to concentrate (p<0.05) and
  • pain (p<0.05).

There was a significant amelioration of depression according to the MFQ-S (p<0.05)

Conclusion:? This study showed low levels of vitamin D in 54 depressed adolescents, positive correlation between vitamin D and well-being,
and improved symptoms related to depression and vitamin D deficiency after vitamin D supplementation.

© 2012 The Author(s)/Acta Pædiatrica © 2012 Foundation Acta Pædiatrica
PDF is attached at the bottom of this page


89% of the depressed teens in the study were actually vitamin D deficient ( 48 / 54)
Before = 16 nanograms
4,000 IU vitamin D daily for 1 month, then 2,000 IU daily for next 2 months (update by author Feb 29, 2012)
After = 36 nanograms

See also VitaminDWiki

part 1 of table from Vitamin D, light and mental health
Mats B. Humble  Aug 2010
part 2 of table from Vitamin D, light and mental health
Mats B. Humble  Aug 2010

Attached files

ID Name Comment Uploaded Size Downloads
1557 Depressed teens.pdf admin 18 Aug, 2012 161.63 Kb 1350