Vitamin D could help mothers with perinatal depression, research shows

BOSTON - Vitamin D, the so-called "sun vitamin" could help women suffering from perinatal depression.

Up to 20 percent of new mothers will suffer from depression and anxiety during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth. Some take dietary supplements in an effort to reduce their symptoms but it's not clear that these measures actually help or make a difference.

So Canadian researchers reviewed dozens of prior studies and found that while polyunsaturated fatty acids and elemental metals like zinc and magnesium had no appreciable effect on perinatal depression symptoms, vitamin D supplementation seemed to provide a small to medium benefit.

This needs to be confirmed with more research before formal recommendations are made.

In:
• Vitamin D
• Pregnancy
• Health Care
• Childbirth

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has worked at WBZ-TV for more than 20 years.

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