Low Levels of Vitamin D Associated With Depression in Older Adults

Low levels of vitamin D may contribute to depression in older adults, according to new research . Psychiatry Advisor reports that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were linked to depression in the large group of older adults analyzed in the study. Researchers split more than 16,000 adults aged 55 or older into six groups and carried out a dose-response meta-analysis. They found more than 1,157 cases of depression and studied those people's vitamin D levels. While analyzing their results, researchers found that each 10 ng/mL increase in hydroxyvitamin D levels corresponded with a 12 percent reduction in the risk of depression. Though further studies are necessary to reinforce their findings, "increasing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels may be a useful approach to reduce the risk of depression in older adults," the research team concluded.