The Role of Vitamin D for the Management of Depression in the Western Ukrainian Population with Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Hypothyroidism

The study investigated the impact of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) on depression in 56 Western Ukrainian patients with hypothyroidism due to autoimmune thyroiditis. Over 12 weeks, patients receiving both cholecalciferol and L-thyroxine showed a 40% reduction in depression levels, compared to a 25% reduction in those receiving only L-thyroxine. The addition of cholecalciferol led to the complete disappearance of depression in 21.4% of patients, while others experienced a reduction from moderate to mild depression. The study concluded that vitamin D supplementation should be considered for managing depression in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism.