Many factors that trigger the emergence of depression in which the influence of psychological, environmental, and genetic. Recent research from UT Southwestern Medical Center Psychiatrists in collaboration with the Cooper Center Longitudinal shows, low levels of vitamin D could trigger an increased risk of depression.
The experts claim these findings as the largest studies that looked at the relationship between vitamin D and depression. This new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
Experts say that these findings as well as clarify the debate that has been often questioned about the relationship between vitamin D and depression. “Our findings show that it is important to screen for vitamin D levels in depressed patients, and vice versa,” said Dr. E. Sherwood Brown, professor of psychiatry and senior researchers.
In his research experts from UT Southwestern studied nearly 12 600 participants, beginning in 2006-2010. Dr. Brown and colleagues from the Cooper Institute found that the level of higher vitamin D levels have been associated with a decreased risk of depression, particularly among individuals with a history of depression.
Meanwhile, low vitamin D levels have been linked to increased risk of depression, especially for those who have a history of depression. Even so this study does not address whether the increased levels of vitamin D can reduce the symptoms of depression or not.
Dr. Brown considered that vitamin D may affect neurotransmitters in the brain – a marker of inflammation and other factors, which may help explain the relationship with depression.
