CHICAGO, March 10 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers are testing to see if vitamin D can help lift mood during the cold weather months.
Researchers at Loyola University Chicago Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing are also looking at whether weekly vitamin D supplements improve blood sugar control as well -- specifically in women with diabetes.
The researchers note depression has been associated with increased insulin resistance. Women tend to have greater rates of depression and poorer blood sugar control than men with diabetes, the reseachers say.
"There is evidence to suggest that vitamin D supplementation may decrease insulin resistance," Sue Penckofer says in a statement. "If we can stabilize insulin levels, we may be able to simply and cost effectively improve blood sugar control and reduce symptoms of depression for these women."
The Loyola researchers are enrolling 80 women between the ages of 18-70, who have stable type 2 diabetes, signs of depression and no other major medical illness for this clinical trial in Chicago.
"Vitamin D deficiency continues to be a problem despite the nutrient's widely reported health benefits," Penckofer says. "Chicago winters compound this issue when more people spend time away from sunlight, which is a natural source of vitamin D."
