A novel study claims that children with low levels of vitamin D are more prone to suffer depression. On the other hand children with higher levels of sunshine vitamin have ten percent lower risk of developing the mental health problems. Vitamin D is mainly generated by the action of sunshine on the skin.
To analyze the effect of vitamin D in children researchers from University of Bristol examined the statistics taken from the Children of the 90s research project. The study investigated the levels of vitamin D in more than twenty-seven hundred children when they were aged nine and thirteen.
The study investigated the levels of two types of vitamins, one is D2 and other is D3. The study found that children with lowest levels of vitamin D were more prone to show symptoms of depression. They also found the strongest anti-depression connection with D3.
While children with higher levels of vitamin D, showed a decline in depressive symptoms in their adolescent age. Vitamin D is generally produced by the action of sunlight on the skin, though it can be also found in oily fish like tuna and is usually added to milk, diet comprises for very little of the nutrient that actually makes it in the bloodstream.
According lead author Dr Anna-Maija Tolppanen, of Bristol University’s school of social and community medicine, further study is required prior to alterations in medical practice could be suggested.