Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Gherlin and Leptin Hormones in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

The effects of vitamin D supplementation on the levels of leptin and ghrelin hormones were evaluated in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). 72 participants were recruited in this study (40 MDD patients and 32 healthy controls (28 males & 44 females). Blood samples were collected at the beginning of the study to determine the baseline values of different biochemical tests including vitamin D, leptin, and ghrelin hormones. Participants were treated weekly, under physician supervision, with vitamin D (50,000 IU) for 3 months and then blood samples were collected at the end of study. Symptoms of MDD were evaluated and recorded using Beck’s depression inventory (BDI) scale. Three months of vitamin D supplementation significantly increased the levels of ghrelin compared with baseline in MDD patients. In contrast, serum leptin levels were unchanged in the same patients. However, a significantly higher serum leptin levels were found in MDD patients compared with healthy subjects. These results were accompanied by significant decreases in BDI scores of depressive symptoms after 3-month administration of vitamin D. Our findings suggest that ghrelin and leptin hormones may contribute to the pathophysiology and perhaps improved treatment of MDD.

Effect of vitamin D supplementation on the incidence and prognosis of depression: An updated meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials

“…Intriguingly, the subgroup analysis of gender demonstrated that vitamin D supplements significantly alleviated depression scores in all females, regardless of whether they were depressed or not. A previous study (68) found that female patients with depressive symptoms improved significantly more following vitamin D administration than male patients, which was in accordance with our findings. The mechanism might involve that vitamin D has a bearing on the synthesis of serotonin and a moderate amount of vitamin D may elevate the level of extracellular serotonin (69), particularly in females, so as to improve the symptoms of depressive disorder.…”