Schizophrenia Twice as Likely with Vitamin D Deficiency

Individuals with low levels of vitamin D are twice as likely to receive a schizophrenia diagnosis compared to individuals with sufficient levels of the vitamin, according to a recent study.

In the past, researchers have conducted various observational studies between vitamin D and schizophrenia; however, this is the first comprehensive meta-analysis that closely examines the relationship of both disorders.
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Researchers analyzed the combined data 2804 adult participants—19 observational studies in total—which contained blood test results for each participant to monitor vitamin D levels. 

The study found that those exhibiting a vitamin D deficiency were 2.16 times more likely to have schizophrenia. Results also showed that 65.3% of the participants with schizophrenia had significantly low levels of vitamin D.

The average difference in vitamin D levels was -5.91 ng/ml between schizophrenic individuals and the control participants.

“There is a growing trend in the nutrition science field to consider vitamin D and its relationship to conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and depression,” said Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, PhD, the study’s lead author and researchers from the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Iran.

“Our findings support the theory that vitamin D may have a significant impact on psychiatric health. More research is needed to determine how the growing problem of vitamin D deficiency may be affecting our overall health,” he concluded.

The complete study is published in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

-Michelle Canales

References:

Valipour G, Saneei P, Esmaillzadeh A.Serum vitamin D levels in relation to schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-anaysis of observational studies. JCEM. 2014 July [epub ahead of print] doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2014-1887.

Endocrine Society. Vitamin D deficiency raises risk of schizophrenia diagnosis. July 22, 2014. www.endocrine.org/news-room/current-press-releases/vitamin-d-deficiency-raises-risk-of-schizophrenia-diagnosis. Accessed July 23, 2014.