Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

A Method of Trigonometric Modelling of Seasonal Variation Demonstrated with Multiple Sclerosis Relapse Data
Published on: December 9, 2015
Vitamin D and depressive symptoms in women during the winter: a pilot study
Clarissa Drymon Shipowick1, C Barton Moore, Cynthia Corbett
1Washington State University, Richland, WA 99352, USA. cshipowick@charter.net
Background:
Research indicates that vitamin D supplementation may decrease depressive symptoms during the winter months.
Method:
In this study, nine women with serum vitamin D levels <40 ng/ml were administered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)-II. After vitamin D3 supplementation, six of these women completed the BDI-II and had their serum vitamin D levels reassessed.
Results:
Vitamin D supplementation was associated not only with an increase in the serum D levels by an average of 27 ng/ml but also with a decline in the BDI-II scores of an average of 10 points.
Discussion:
This study suggests that supplemental vitamin D3 reduces depressive symptoms.
Related Concept Videos
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
Long-term Depression
Depression: Overview
Role of Skin in Vitamin D Synthesis
The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
