| Research Article: | Efficacy and acceptability of vitamin D supplements for depressed patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
| Author: | Maytinee Srifuengfung, Somporn Srifuengfung, Chalermsri Pummangura, Keerati Pattanaseri M, Awirut Oon-arom & Manit Srisurapanont |
| Email: | somporn.sri@siam.edu |
| Department|Faculty: | Faculty of Pharmacy, Siam University, Bangkok 10160 |
| Published: | Nutrition, Volume 108, Issue 111968, April 2023, Pages 1-11 |
Citation
Srifuengfung M., Srifuengfung S., Pummangura C., Pattanaseri K., Oon-arom A., Srisurapanont M. (2023). Efficacy and acceptability of vitamin D supplements for depressed patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition, 108(111968), 1-11.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized the evidence from randomized controlled trials comparing vitamin D and placebo in reducing depressive symptoms and contributing to all-cause dropout rates.
Methods: Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials comparing reduced depression between depressed patients receiving vitamin D and those receiving placebo. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials through January 2022.
Results: Eighteen trials (1980 participants, median age 39 y) were included in the meta-analysis. Vitamin D
supplements were significantly superior to placebo in reducing depression (standardized mean difference = -0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.75 to -0.23; I2 = 81%). Depressed adults (standardized mean difference = -0.70; 95% CI, -1.09 to -0.31) responded to vitamin D significantly better than children and adolescents (standardized mean difference = 0.10; 95% CI -0.27 to 0.47). Vitamin D administered as bolus doses (oral intermittent high doses or intramuscular single high dose) appeared to be more effective than that taken daily by the oral route (P < 0.01). Patients with more severe depression tended to respond better than those with less severity (P = 0.053). We found no moderating effect of concurrent antidepressant use, presence of major depressive disorder diagnosis, physical comorbidity, sex, duration and doses of vitamin D supplement, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels at baseline, and changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in the vitamin D group. Dropout rates were indifferent between the groups (17 trials; risk ratio = 0.84;95% CI, 0.6-1.16; I2 = 0).
Conclusions: Heterogeneous data suggested that vitamin D supplements are effective and safe for depressed patients.
Keywords: 25(OH)D, Depression, Safety, Dropout, Quantitative synthesis, Supplements.
Efficacy and acceptability of vitamin D supplements for depressed patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Faculty of Pharmacy, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand