Suicide associated with low vitamin D - many studies

7 Hints that suicide is associated with low vitamin D:

• 1) Giving Vitamin D decreases suicide attempts
• 2) Suicide peaks in the Spring, when vitamin D values are lowest
• 3) Suicide has increased while vitamin D has been crashing
• 4) Suicide higher in dark-skinned individuals (low vitamin D due to built-in sun protection)
• 5) Suicide higher in prison (shut-ins have low levels of vitamin D)
• 6) Suicide attempts by males 3.7 X more likely if poor Vitamin D gene (CYP24A1) – Oct 2021
• 7) Suicide rate is higher at high latitudes (where vitamin D is less available)
  See Criteria to associate a health problem with low vitamin D

---

Vitamin D Life pages with SUICIDE in title (14 as of April 2024)

This list is automatically updated

---

Suicide behavior more likely if low vitamin D – meta-analysis Oct 2023

Association of Vitamin D with Suicide Behaviors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Iran J Psychiatry . 2023 Oct;18(4):484-492. doi: 10.18502/ijps.v18i4.13635.
Younes Mohammadi 1 2, Nasim Ansari 3, Milad Daneshi Maskooni 4, Mohammad Reza Amiri 5

Objective: Research findings on the relationship between vitamin D and suicide are not consistent; therefore, the objective of the present paper is to assess the relationship between vitamin D and suicide behaviors using a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Method : A search strategy was developed using keywords including "Vitamin D", "Vitamin D deficiency", "suicide" "attempted suicide", "completed suicide", "Suicide, Attempted", "Suicidal Ideation." We searched databases including Scopus, Medline, Web of Science, and Google Scholar by July 7, 2022. We examined the titles, abstracts, and full texts of the articles to select eligible ones. To pool the results of the selected studies, we used the random-effect method and mean difference as the effect size. The quality of the articles was evaluated by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Moreover, heterogeneity and bias of reporting were evaluated by the I2 statistic and Egger's and Begg's tests, respectively.

Results: Out of 149 studies retrieved in the databases, 11 studies were included in the final phase. Among these, the pooled findings of seven studies included in the meta-analysis phase showed that low levels of vitamin D are related to increased probability for suicide behaviors (P < 0.05). Moreover, subgroup analysis showed a significant relationship between vitamin D and suicide ideation and suicide attempt (P < 0.05). In addition, the I2 statistic indicated moderate heterogeneity (58%) and Egger's and Begg's tests did not show any evidence of publication bias (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: This study provides evidence in favor of the relationship between vitamin D and suicide behaviors. It suggests that insufficient levels of vitamin D play a role in suicidal behaviors. However, it should be noted that further and stronger evidence is needed to establish this role. Finally, incorporating vitamin D-rich foods into the diet or taking vitamin D supplements is recommended to reduce the risk of suicide.
 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life

---

Vitamin D given to veterans likely to suicide, 45% decrease in suicide attempts - Feb 2023

The association between vitamin D serum levels, supplementation, and suicide attempts and intentional self-harm
Jill E. Lavigne,Jason B. Gibbons
PLOS x Feb 1, 2023 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279166

Note: No record of how much vitamin D was given,
No record of if it was actually taken,
No record of how long it was taken
No record of vitamin D levels before or after
Conclusion: fewer suicide attempst in those prescribed with vitamin D
Objectives
The purpose of this study is to determine the associations between Vitamin D supplementation, 25(OH) blood serum levels, suicide attempts, and intentional self-harm in a population of veterans in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Methods
A retrospective cohort study of US Veterans supplemented with Vitamin D. Veterans with any Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) or Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) fill between 2010 and 2018 were matched 1:1 to untreated control veterans having similar demographics and medical histories. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the time from the first Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) or Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) prescription fill to the first suicide attempt or intentional self-harm. Analyses were repeated in stratified samples to measure associations by race (Black or White), gender (male or female), blood levels (0–19 ng/ml, 20–39 ng/ml, and 40+ ng/ml), and average daily dosage.

Results
Vitamin D3 and D2 supplementation were associated with a 45% and 48% lower risk of suicide attempt and self-harm (D2 Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.512, [95% CI, 0.457, 0.574]; D3 HR = 0.552, [95% CI, 0.511, 0.597]. Supplemented black veterans and veterans with 0–19 ng/ml vitamin D serum levels were at ~64% lower risk relative to controls (Black Veteran HR: 0.362 [95% CI: 0.298,0.440]; 0–19 ng/ml HR: 0.359 [95% CI: 0.215,0.598]). Supplementation with higher vitamin D dosages was associated with greater risk reductions than lower dosages (Log Average Dosage HR: 0.837 [95% CI: 0.779,0.900]).

Conclusions
Vitamin D supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of suicide attempt and self-harm in Veterans, especially in veterans with low blood serum levels and Black veterans.
 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life

Also reported in Epoch Times: Could Vitamin D Help Save Our Veterans?
the Epoch Times

• "The study found that veterans who received vitamin D had a 64 percent lower risk of suicide than those who did not receive supplementation"
• "Suicide is the second leading cause of death of veterans under the age of 45"

Also reported by Dr. Campbell vidaprilri 3, 2023
YouTube: 18 minutes

---

Vitamin D, by reducing depression, might reduce suicide - April 2023

Vitamin D in Depression: A Potential Bioactive Agent to Reduce Suicide and Suicide Attempt Risk
Nutrients 2023, 15(7), 1765; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071765
by María Montserrat Somoza-Moncada 1,†ORCID,Francisco Javier Turrubiates-Hernández 1,2,†ORCID,José Francisco Muñoz-Valle 1ORCID,Jesús Alberto Gutiérrez-Brito 1,Saúl Alberto Díaz-Pérez 1ORCID,Adriana Aguayo-Arelis 3 andJorge Hernández-Bello 1,*ORCID

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year, more than 700 thousand people die from this cause. Therefore, suicide is a public health issue. The complex interaction between different factors causes suicide; however, depression is one of the most frequent factors in people who have attempted suicide. Several studies have reported that vitamin D deficiency may be a relevant risk factor for depression, and vitamin D supplementation has shown promising effects in the adjunctive treatment of this mood disorder. Among the beneficial mechanisms of vitamin D, it has been proposed that it may enhance serotonin synthesis and modulate proinflammatory cytokines since low serotonin levels and systemic inflammation have been associated with depression and suicide. The present narrative review shows the potential pathogenic role of vitamin D deficiency in depression and suicide and the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation to reduce their risk.
No such attachment on this page

---

See also Vitamin D Life

• Prisoners have very low vitamin D and get TB, influenza, and depression
  Depression 9X higher for female prisoners than female non-prisoners
• Hypothesis: Some Mental Illness could be treated or prevented with vitamin D
• 96 percent vitamin D deficient – destitute asylum seekers and refugees in London – Nov 2012 35% were at high risk of suicide
• All items in category Depression and Vitamin D 215 items
• Anti-depression medication about as good as big increase in vitamin D – meta-analysis of flawless data April 2014

---

Search Google Scholar suicide and "Vitamin D" 26,100 items as of May 2023

• Evaluating the heterogeneous effect of a modifiable risk factor on suicide: The case of vitamin D deficiency Nov 2021 - https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.1897 FREE PDF
• Low Vitamin D Status and Suicide: A Case-Control Study of Active Duty Military Service Members - 2013
  • 2X less likely if high vs low vitamin D https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0051543 FREE PDF
• The association between vitamin D serum levels, supplementation, and suicide attempts and intentional self-harm - Feb 2023 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279166 FREE PDF
  • Vitamin D supplementation cut the rates in half
  • Conclusion:"Vitamin D supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of suicide attempt and self-harm in Veterans, especially in veterans with low blood serum levels and Black veterans."

---

Suicide risk increased 5X in those aged 18-35 after Bariatric surgery (low D?) - Feb 2023

Longer life after bariatric surgery, but suicide risk in young MDEdge

12+ Vitamin D Life pages with BARIATRIC in title

This list is automatically updated

---

Vitamin D helps in many ways, Omega-3 reduces Depression, Magnesium reduces stress - Sept 2022

GrassrootsHealth

---

Vitamin D: Attempted suicide 12 ng, controls 19 ng - Feb 2020

The Association Between Low Vitamin D Levels and Suicide Attempts in Adolescents
Ann Clin Psychiatry, 32 (1), e1-e8 2020 Feb 1
Gamze Gokalp 1

Background: Psychiatric disorders are the most common cause of suicide attempts. Some studies have shown there is a relationship between low vitamin D levels and psychiatric disorders. In this study, we examined the relationship between suicidal behavior and vitamin D levels in adolescents.

Method: This study included 215 patients who presented to the pediatric emergency department due to a suicide attempt (patient group) and 200 healthy individuals (control group). Demographic and clinical features of both groups were recorded, and serum vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus levels were measured. The groups were compared in terms of these factors. All data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Illinois, USA) software program.

Results: The mean vitamin D level was 19.4 ± 10 ng/mL in the control group and 12.3 ± 6 ng/mL in the patient group (t = 8.8 and P = .01). The mean serum total calcium level was 9.9 ± 0.3 mg/dL in the control group and 9.4 ± 0.5 mg/dL in the patient group (P < .01).

Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency, which is a treatable condition, may be one of the causes of suicidal behavior in adolescents. Therefore, we believe that physicians who treat adolescents should consider vitamin D levels in routine examinations.

---

More suicide if more activated Vitamin D Receptor (disagrees with other studies) - Feb 2020

Increased brain vitamin D receptor expression and decreased expression of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide in individuals who died by suicide
Journal of Psychiatric Research. Available online 27 February 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.02.027
Teodor T.Postolacheabc1FaisalAkramadEllen E.LeeefgChristopher A.LowrybchiJohn W.StilleradjLisa A.BrennerbciElizabeth A.StreetenkGustavoTureckilYogeshDwivedim1
 Download the PDF from Sci-Hub via Vitamin D Life

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with immune dysregulation, increased vulnerability to infections, depression, and suicidal behavior. One mediator of vitamin D-dependent immune regulation and antimicrobial defense is the cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (LL37), encoded by the cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) gene. We compared the mRNA expression of the CRAMP gene, the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene, as well as the CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 genes (involved in vitamin D metabolism) in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) between depressed individuals who died by suicide (n = 15) and matched (age, gender, and post-mortem interval) non-psychiatric controls (n = 15). Gene expression was measured through qRT-PCR with TaqMan® primers and probes, with GAPDH and β-actin genes as endogenous controls. Statistical analyses included t-tests and Pearson correlations. CRAMP mRNA expression was downregulated and VDR mRNA expression was upregulated in both dlPFC and ACC in suicides relative to controls, with no significant differences in expression of CYP24A1 and CYP27B1. To our knowledge, this is the first study on brain cathelicidin expression in the human brain in relationship to suicide. Increased VDR and decreased CRAMP expression are consistent with previously reported associations between vitamin D deficiency, immune dysregulation, and suicidal behavior, and should lead to future studies uncovering novel interactive targets for suicide prevention.

---

People who attempted suicide were vitamin D deficient – Dec 2014

Suicidal patients are deficient in vitamin D, associated with a pro-inflammatory status in the blood
Psychoneuroendocrinology, Volume 50, December 2014, Pages 210–219
Cécile Grudet a cecile.grudet at med.lu.se. Johan Malm b, Åsa Westrin a, c, Lena Brundin d, e
a Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund, Psychiatry, Lund University, 221 85 Lund, Sweden
b Department of Laboratory Medicine, Section for Clinical Chemistry, Malmö, Lund University, 205 02 Malmö, Sweden
c Psychiatric Clinic, Lund, Region Skåne, Sweden
d Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, College of Human Medicine, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
e Laboratory for Behavioral Medicine, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Background
Low levels of vitamin D may play a role in psychiatric disorders, as cross-sectional studies show an association between vitamin D deficiency and depression, schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms. The underlying mechanisms are not well understood, although vitamin D is known to influence the immune system to promote a T helper (Th)-2 phenotype. At the same time, increased inflammation might be of importance in the pathophysiology of depression and suicide. We therefore hypothesized that suicidal patients would be deficient in vitamin D, which could be responsible for the inflammatory changes observed in these patients.

Methods
We compared vitamin D levels in suicide attempters (n = 59), non-suicidal depressed patients (n = 17) and healthy controls (n = 14). Subjects were diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition, and went through a structured interview by a specialist in psychiatry. 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 were measured in plasma using liquid-chromatography–mass-spectrometry (LC–MS). We further explored vitamin D's association with plasma IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α.

Results
Suicide attempters had significantly lower mean levels of vitamin D than depressed non-suicidal patients and healthy controls. 58 percent of the suicide attempters were vitamin D deficient according to clinical standard. Moreover, there was a significant negative association between vitamin D and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the psychiatric patients. Low vitamin D levels were associated with higher levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-1β in the blood.

Conclusion
The suicide attempters in our study were deficient in vitamin D. Our data also suggest that vitamin D deficiency could be a contributing factor to the elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines previously reported in suicidal patients. We propose that routine clinical testing of vitamin D levels could be beneficial in patients with suicidal symptoms, with subsequent supplementation in patients found to be deficient.

 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life.

---

Suicide 2X more likely in military if low vitamin D - 2013

Low Vitamin D Status and Suicide: A Case-Control Study of Active Duty Military Service Members
PLOS ONE 8(9): 10.1371/annotation/9af84cbe-5576-4c4b-871c-f7ab0c64b9fd.
John C. Umhau ,David T. George,Robert P. Heaney,Michael D. Lewis,Robert J. Ursano,Markus Heilig,Joseph R. Hibbeln ,Melanie L. Schwandt

Objective
Considering that epidemiological studies show that suicide rates in many countries are highest in the spring when vitamin D status is lowest, and that low vitamin D status can affect brain function, we sought to evaluate if a low level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] could be a predisposing factor for suicide.

Method
We conducted a prospective, nested, case-control study using serum samples stored in the Department of Defense Serum Repository. Participants were previously deployed active duty US military personnel (2002–2008) who had a recent archived serum sample available for analysis. Vitamin D status was estimated by measuring 25(OH) D levels in serum samples drawn within 24 months of the suicide. Each verified suicide case (n = 495) was matched to a control (n = 495) by rank, age and sex. We calculated odds ratio of suicide associated with categorical levels (octiles) of 25(OH) D, adjusted by season of serum collection.

Findings
More than 30% of all subjects had 25(OH)D values below 20 ng/mL. Although mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations did not differ between suicide cases and controls, risk estimates indicated that subjects in the lowest octile of season-adjusted 25(OH)D (<15.5 ng/mL) had the highest risk of suicide, with subjects in the subsequent higher octiles showing approximately the same level of decreased risk (combined odds ratio compared to lowest octile  = 0.49; 95% C.I.: 0.315–0.768).

Conclusions
Low vitamin D status is common in active duty service members. The lowest 25(OH)D levels are associated with an increased risk for suicide. Future studies could determine if additional sunlight exposure and vitamin D supplementation might reduce suicide by increasing 25(OH) D levels.
 Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life

---

Suicide increasing and is now the top cause of death of adults

Suicide has become the top cause of death for adults (15-49) around the world

---

Suicide rate increased by at least 20% in most US counties in a decade

Contextual Factors Associated With County-Level Suicide Rates in the United States, 1999 to 2016 JAMA Sept 2019
Has free PDF

---

Suicides increasing over the years, and peak in the Spring

No, Suicides Don't Rise During the Holidays Dec 2015
Pollen suspected, Vitamin D not mentioned

---

Suicide infographic

---

See also web - Vitamin D

• Evidence that latitude is directly related to variation in suicide rates Aug 2002

---

• Study suggests connection between Alaska suicide rates, higher latitudes Nov 2013
• Inflammation and suicide attempts: Where does vitamin D fit in? Vitamin D Council, Oct 2014

See also web - Cholesterol

• Serum lipid levels and suicidality: a meta-analysis of 65 epidemiological studies Jan 2016
  123% higher risk of suicide attempt - from 510,392 people
• Review of above study by Dr. Grimes, Dec 2016
  "A comment from the authors, but not an observation from the study:"
  “an increasing number of reports raise the possibility that statins, a class of lipid-lowering agents, may be associated with deleterious cognitive, mood and behavioural adverse effects, including violence, depression and suicide, which have been attributed to the effect of statins’ cholesterol level reduction on brain function.”

See also web - Suicide Chats in Israel increased 3X in May 2020 vs May 2019 (COVID-19)

• Suicidality jumped in Israel during spring COVID-19 lockdown Sept 25

---

There have been 43812 visits to this page