Summary
Vitamin D is an essential prohormone for the hu man body, which can be obtained from certain foods, supplements or through exposure to ultraviolet B radiation (UVB). It is widely known that vitamin D bears importance for the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. Hence, a sufficient amount of this vitamin is needed to form and retain the bone structure and to prevent rickets. Recent studies have confirmed wider benefits of vitamin D as its receptors have been discovered in various tissues and organs, including the brain. Also, vitamin D deficiency is now linked to various physical diseases, for example, diabetes. Further research of the vitamin D role and its application in medical treatment is needed, given that over one billion people in the world are estimated as vitamin D deficient or insufficient. Health problems related to the in sufficiency of vitamin D increase among those groups which spend most of the time indoors. This tendency places some of the most vulnerable members of society at the highest risk of vitamin D deficiency. A highly significant, yet understudied area, is the relationship between vitamin D and psychiatric disorders – the widespread mental illnesses like depression and anxiety, as well as au tism and schizo phre nia. The existing research denotes a large prevalence of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency among psychiatric patients, particularly those suffering from schizophrenia, pointing to the correlation be tween vitamin D deficiency and mental illnesses. The deficiency among psychiatric patients can be explained by their living conditions as this group tends to spend very limited time outside. In other studies, vitamin D has shown promising results as a treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. The positive impact of vitamin D on the neuro psychological state can be explained by the vitamin’s anti-inflammatory action and enzyme regulation. Conversely, defects in vitamin D receptors might be come one of the underlying causes of psychiatric illnesses. Fur ther re search with larger sample sizes and diverse populations is needed to get a better understanding of the impact vitamin D has on our mental health.
