A recent study presented at the American Psychiatric Association (APA) 2023 Annual Meeting demonstrated a substantial rise in vitamin D insufficiency in pediatric patients with Major depressive disorder (MDD) during the pandemic.

The researchers found an increase in children and adolescents with low vitamin D levels who came to their clinic for mental hospitalization during the pandemic.

Vitamin D is necessary for bone development, mineralization, accretion, and calcium absorption. Adolescence is a time of fast physical, cognitive, and psychosocial development. The bodys requirement for all minerals and vitamins starts changing at this stage of life. As a result, adequate vitamin D levels during adolescence are critical for various health advantages.

The researchers evaluated the records of all patients aged 6 to 17 years with mental diagnoses and vitamin D level assessments admitted to the inpatient psychiatry unit between March 18, 2020, and June 30, 2021.

Among 599 patients, 275 (83% female) were diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and 226 were vitamin D deficient (30 ng/mL) — a prevalence rate of around 82%. Vitamin D insufficiency was found in 76% of 246 individuals with mental illnesses other than MDD.

Experts found that this increase was much higher than before the outbreak. Prior to COVID, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in comparable individuals was around 14%. According to the researchers, these data highlight the necessity of screening for vitamin D insufficiency in children and adolescents with or without depression, especially during the winter, when there is less sun exposure. Vitamin D insufficiency is expected in the general population; however, it can be balanced with supplementation.

Researchers concluded that more studies on teenagers with severe depression and more extensive studies, including randomized control trials, are needed to show a causal relationship between MDD and vitamin D insufficiency.

(Source: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/992342)