Vitamin D in Depression: A Potential Bioactive Agent to Reduce Suicide and Suicide Attempt Risk

Somoza-Moncada MM, Turrubiates-Hernández FJ, Muñoz-Valle JF, Gutiérrez-Brito JA, Díaz-Pérez SA, Aguayo-Arelis A, Hernández-Bello J · Nutrients · 2023 April 04

DOI 10.3390/nu15071765

Objective

The present narrative review shows the potential pathogenic role of vitamin D deficiency in depression and suicide and the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation to reduce their risk.

Conclusions

Several studies have shown that deficiencies in this vitamin reduce the immunomodulation of inflammation and serotonin synthesis, two processes associated with depression and suicidal attempts. Therefore, it supports the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation in reducing symptoms of depression and a possible indirect effect in the prevention of suicide and suicide attempts.

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Insights

Vitamin D deficiency could accelerate depressive symptoms and suicide risks, and vitamin D supplementation may mitigate these effects.

The paper examines the links between vitamin D deficiency, depression, and suicide from various studies. It hypothesizes that vitamin D could enhance serotonin synthesis and modulate proinflammatory cytokines, both factors in depression and suicide. The paper reviews this hypothesis in the context of the broader health issue of suicide, which is among the leading causes of death worldwide. This paper then discusses the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation. Drawing upon indirect evidence suggesting that vitamin D deficiencies may be a risk factor for depression—one of the most common factors in suicide attempts—the paper postulates that vitamin D supplementation could play a role in helping to reduce the risk of depression and thus suicide. The beneficial mechanisms of vitamin D, such as enhancing serotonin synthesis and modulating proinflammatory cytokines, which are associated with depression and suicide, stand as the central contributing factors in this hypothesis.