Vitamin D supplementation reduces suicidal thoughts in veterans: PLOS

Veterans, particularly those who have low blood vitamin D levels and Black veterans, who used vitamin D supplements had a lower risk of suicide attempt and self-harm, says an article published PLOS ONE.

Skin exposure to the sun or dietary vitamin D, such as supplements D2 and D3, are the two main sources of serum vitamin D. The immune system, the bones, and the absorption of other micronutrients are all supported by serum vitamin D. Low levels of blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D have been linked to suicidal behavior or depressed symptoms, according to a growing body of data (serum Vitamin D). In order to ascertain the relationships between vitamin D supplementation, 25(OH) blood serum levels, suicide attempts, and purposeful self-harm in a population of veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Jill Lavigne and colleagues conducted this study (VA).

It was a retrospective cohort study that included vitamin D-supplemented US veterans. Between 2010 and 2018, veterans who received either Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) or Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) fill were matched 1:1 to untreated control veterans with comparable demographics and medical histories. The interval between the initial prescription fill for vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) or vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and the initial attempt at suicide or purposeful self-harm was calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression. To determine relationships by race (Black or White), gender (male or female), blood levels (0-19 ng/ml, 20-39 ng/ml, and 40 ng/ml), and average daily dose, analyses were repeated in stratified samples.

The key findings of this study were:

Supplementing with vitamin D3 and D2 was linked to a 45% and 48% decreased incidence of suicide attempt and self-harm, respectively. 

Veterans who took supplements and those whose vitamin D blood levels ranged from 0 to 19 ng/ml had a risk that was 64% lower than that of controls. 

Higher vitamin D supplementation doses were linked to larger risk reductions than lower ones.

In conclusion, a suicide attempt and purposeful self-harm risk decrease of 45%–48% is linked to oral vitamin D. Higher daily vitamin D3 supplementation was linked to a decreased incidence of suicidal ideation and self-harm compared to supplementation at lower doses. Furthermore, because Black veterans have a higher prevalence of low Vitamin D blood levels than White veterans, the related risk decrease in suicide attempt and self-harm was more substantial among Black veterans getting vitamin D supplements than among White veterans. Supplementation with vitamin D in the VA may show potential if proven in clinical studies to decrease suicide attempts and suicide because it is a generally safe, commonly available, and inexpensive medicine.

Reference:

Lavigne, J. E., & Gibbons, J. B. (2023). The association between vitamin D serum levels, supplementation, and suicide attempts and intentional self-harm. In J. D. Clelland (Ed.), PLOS ONE (Vol. 18, Issue 2, p. e0279166). Public Library of Science (PLoS). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279166