Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Anxiety Risk in Adolescents: Study
A new study published in the journal of Brain and Behavior showed that adolescents who are deficient in vitamin D may be more susceptible to anxiety problems and their development may be predicted. However treatment with vitamin D has the ability to reduce anxiety symptoms in this age range.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ may increase anxiety in adolescents, emphasizing a possible dietary relationship to mental health. Based on this, the study intended to analyze the connection between 25-(OH)D₃ levels and anxiety problems in adolescents and to determine how vitamin D status could impact pediatric anxiety. This study was set to generate clinical evidence that might help future approaches to diagnosis and care.
The experimental group of the study consisted of 124 teenagers with anxiety disorders who visited Jingzhou First People's Hospital's pediatric outpatient clinic between January 2020 and December 2022. 131 healthy teenagers who had regular physical examinations at the same time period made up the comparison group. The two groups' serum 25-(OH)D₃ levels were assessed and contrasted. To determine if 25-(OH)D₃ levels might predict anxiety scores in the experimental group, simple linear regression was employed.
Furthermore, 86 teenagers from the experimental group who had anxiety problems associated with vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency got vitamin D treatment for 12 weeks. The effect of 25-(OH)D₃ levels on anxiety symptoms was assessed by comparing changes in their anxiety ratings before and after therapy.
There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the experimental group's mean serum 25-(OH)D3 level (16.48 ± 6.53) ng/ml and the control group's (22.95 ± 7.25) ng/ml. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency between the experimental group (69.35%) and the control group (36.64%).
Additionally, there was a negative correlation between anxiety scores and serum 25-(OH)D3 levels in the experimental group, meaning that greater anxiety scores were linked to lower 25-(OH)D3 levels. After vitamin D administration, adolescents with anxiety disorders and 25-(OH)D deficit or insufficiency displayed lower anxiety ratings.
Overall, there is likely a strong relationship between vitamin D levels and the incidence of anxiety problems in youngsters. Preliminary research cautiously shows that vitamin D treatment could generate moderate reductions in anxiety symptoms among vitamin D-insufficient adolescents with anxiety disorders.
Source:
Linfang, W., & Yang, L. (2025). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 status in adolescents with anxiety disorders: A case-control and vitamin D supplementation substudy. Brain and Behavior, 15(12), e71095. https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.71095
