Vitamin D vs broad spectrum phototherapy in the treatment of seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is prevalent when vitamin D stores are typically low. Broad-spectrum light therapy includes wavelengths between 280-320 nm which allow the skin to produce vitamin D. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency might play a role in SAD. A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Journal of nutrition, health & aging Vol. 3; no. 1; p. 5
Main Authors Gloth, 3rd, F M, Alam, W, Hollis, B
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published France 1999
Subjects
Adolescent
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Female
Humans
Hydroxycholecalciferols - blood
Male
Middle Aged
Phototherapy
Psychological Tests
Seasonal Affective Disorder - drug therapy
Seasonal Affective Disorder - therapy
Vitamin D - biosynthesis
Vitamin D - therapeutic use
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Summary:Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is prevalent when vitamin D stores are typically low. Broad-spectrum light therapy includes wavelengths between 280-320 nm which allow the skin to produce vitamin D. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that vitamin D deficiency might play a role in SAD. A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted in a group of 15 subjects with SAD. Eight subjects received 100,000 I.U. of vitamin D and seven subjects received phototherapy. At the onset of treatment and after 1 month of therapy subjects were administered the Hamilton Depression scale, the SIGH-SAD, and the SAD-8 depression scale. All subjects also had serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) measured before and 1 week after intervention therapy. All subjects receiving vitamin D improved in all outcome measures. The phototherapy group showed no significant change in depression scale measures. Vitamin D status improved in both groups (74% vitamin D group, p < 0.005 and 36% phototherapy group, p < 0.01). Improvement in 25-OH D was significantly associated with improvement in depression scale scores (r2=0.26; p=0.05). Vitamin D may be an important treatment for SAD. Further studies will be necessary to confirm these findings.
ISSN:1279-7707