People with schizophrenia more likely to have low levels of vitamin D -
vitamin D deficiency individuals are twice as likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia as people who have sufficient levels of vitamin, according to a new study published in Journal of the Endocrine Society of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism .
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is necessary for bone and muscle health. The skin naturally produces this vitamin after exposure to sunlight. People also get smaller amounts of vitamins through foods such as milk fortified with vitamin D. More than 1 billion people worldwide are estimated to have deficient levels of vitamin D due to sun exposure limited.
Schizophrenia is a mental illness with symptoms that can include delusions and hallucinations. Since schizophrenia is more common in high latitudes and cold climates, the researchers hypothesized vitamin D may be linked to the disease.
"This is the first comprehensive meta-analysis to examine the relationship between the two conditions," said one of the study authors, Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, PhD, of the University of Isfahan medical sciences in Isfahan, Iran. "When we looked at the findings of several observational studies of vitamin D and schizophrenia, we found that people with schizophrenia have vitamin D levels below that of healthy people. The vitamin D deficiency is quite common among people with schizophrenia. "
The researchers examined the results of 19 observational studies that assessed the relationship between vitamin D and schizophrenia. Overall, the studies focused on vitamin D levels and mental health 2804 adult participants. The studies used blood tests to determine levels of vitamin D each participant.
The meta-analysis found that people with schizophrenia had significantly lower levels of vitamin D in the blood compared to control groups. The mean difference in vitamin D levels between schizophrenia patients and control participants was -5.91 ng / ml. People with vitamin D deficiency were 2.16 times more likely to have schizophrenia than those with sufficient vitamin D in their blood. In addition, 65 percent of participants who had schizophrenia also were vitamin D deficient.
"There is a growing trend in the field of nutrition science to consider vitamin D and its relation to conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and depression" Esmaillzadeh said. "Our results support the theory that vitamin D may have a significant impact on mental health. More research is needed to determine how the increasing problem of vitamin D deficiency can affect our overall health."
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