Effect of vitamin D deficiency on depressive symptoms in child and adolescent psychiatric patients: results of a randomized controlled trial.

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in this randomized controlled trial publication.

While observational studies revealed inverse associations between serum vitamin D levels [25(OH)D] and depression, randomized controlled trials (RCT) in children and adolescents are lacking.

This RCT examined the effect of an untreated vitamin D deficiency compared to an immediate vitamin D3 supplementation on depression scores in children and adolescents during standard day and in-patient psychiatric treatment.

Why It Was Studied

"German Clinical Trials Register" ( https://www.drks.de ), registration number: DRKS00009758.

Who Took Part

PubMed indexes the participants as children and teenagers.

BDI-II scores were assessed as primary outcome, DISYPS-II (Diagnostic System for Mental Disorders in Childhood and Adolescence, Self- and Parent Rating) and serum total 25(OH)D were secondary outcomes.

How the Study Was Run

The design is described as randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

As a double-blind Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study, the assignments were hidden from both participants and investigators until the end.

A placebo (an inactive look-alike) gave the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc group a baseline to be compared against.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Cholecalciferol, Depression, Dietary Supplements, Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency and Vitamins.

Author keywords: Depressive disorder, Depressive symptoms, Mood and Supplementation.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 5 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2020 (European journal of nutrition), a journal based in Germany.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.