Articles related to VITAMINS/SUPPLEMENTS

Although results of meta-analyses on the link between vitamin D and depression have historically been mixed, emerging research suggests vitamin D supplementation may help with depression in certain populations. For example, revisiting prior meta analyses, investigators have found that vitamin D supplementation decreased depressive symptoms in MDD patients, as well as in women with perinatal depressive symptoms.

In this study enrolling 478 young adults, of which 265 self-reported anxiety and 146 self-reported depression, high-dose vitamin B6 supplementation raised brain GABA levelsand reduced self-reported anxiety.

The VITAL trial enrolled more than 25,000 men and women over age 50. Supplemental vitamin D showed no significant benefit vs. placebo in preventing the common fractures of osteoporosis.

In 2021, melatonin was the most frequently reported substance involved in pediatric substance ingestions, resulting in 4,000 hospitalizations, 287 ICU admissions, and 2 deaths in children under the age of 2. Melatonin supplements can have 500% more melatonin than indicated on the label and about 30% of OTC products tested had serotonin as well.

In this update to its 2014 recommendation, the USPSTF concluded “with moderate certainty that the harms of beta carotene supplementation outweigh the benefits for the prevention of cardiovascular disease or cancer.”

Levothyroxine, which is the third most popular drug in the US and the main drug used to treat primary hypothyroidism, also possesses clinically significant interactions with food, beverages, and supplements that can change the safety and efficacy of thyroid-hormone replacement therapies. This review article from Pharmaceuticals reviews 925 hypothyroid patients that highlighted “disturbing” lifestyle and diet patterns.