Depression is a serious mental health issue affecting nearly 16 million adults each year or roughly “7%” of the American population (nami.org, n.d.) Depression affects people of all ages, races and socioeconomic status (nami.org, n.d.). The estimated economic burden to the United States is $210 billion per year in health care costs and lost wages (Greenberg, 2015). There is a familial tendency to depression with women and “young adults aged 18-25” are more likely to suffer from depression then men and adults aged 50 and older (nami, org, n.d). …show more content…
Vitamin D is thought to play a role in regulating serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter which functions to regulate mood. Vitamin D receptors have been located in the brain, suggesting they have a role in mental health (Ganji, et al., 2010). While the cause of depression is considered multifactorial, new evidence suggests that low levels of vitamin D may play a role in depression.
My research question is “"Among adults age 18 and older, what is the association between low levels of vitamin D and