Low Vitamin D Linked to Depression

A number of previous studies have linked low levels of Vitamin D with a number of diseases, from cardiovascular to neurological.  E. Sherwood Brown, from The Cooper Institute (Texas, USA), and colleagues examined the results of 12,594 men and women seen at the Cooper Clinic from from late 2006 to late 2010. The team observed that higher vitamin D levels (measured as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D])  associated with a significantly decreased risk of current depression, particularly among people with a prior history of depression. Reporting that: “ We found that low vitamin D levels are associated with depressive symptoms, especially in persons with a history of depression,” the study authors suggest that: "These findings suggest that primary care patients with a history of depression may be an important target for assessment of vitamin D levels.”