Effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression and some involved neurotransmitters.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation on depression severity, serum 25(OH)D, and some neurotransmitters in patients with mild to moderate depression.

It seems necessary to assess tryptophan-hydroxylasetypes1&2 in relation to vitamin D in serotonin pathways.

Why It Was Studied

Study duration may not reflect the long-term effects of vitamin D on depression.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 56 subjects taking part.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults.

An 8-week double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 56 subjects with mild to moderate depression, aged 43.0 ± 1.15yrs.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Because people in this Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

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

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc could be set against what happens without it.

Biochemical parameters (serum 25(OH)D, iPTH, oxytocin and platelet serotonin), and depression severity (Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II1)) were initially and finally assessed.

What Was Measured

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

Author keywords: Oxytocin, RCT and Serotonin.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 56 subjects.

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 (Journal of affective disorders), a journal based in Netherlands.

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