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

The study investigated the impact of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) supplementation on depression in 56 patients with hypothyroidism caused by autoimmune thyroiditis in the West-Ukrainian population. Using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, it was found that patients receiving both cholecalciferol and L-thyroxine experienced 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 saw a reduction from moderate to mild depressive disorder. The study concluded that vitamin D supplementation should be considered for managing depression in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis and hypothyroidism.