title: Effects of vitamin C and vitamin D administration on mood and distress in acutely hospitalized patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hypovitaminosis C and D are highly prevalent in acute-care hospitals. Malnutrition with regard to these vitamins has been linked to mood disturbance and cognitive dysfunction.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to determine whether vitamin C or D supplementation improves mood state or reduces psychological distress in acutely hospitalized patients with a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis C and D.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized, double-blind, active-control clinical trial compared the effects of vitamin C (500 mg twice daily) with those of high-dose vitamin D (5000 IU/d) on mood (Profile of Mood States) and psychological distress (Distress Thermometer).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin C provided for a mean of 8.2 d increased plasma vitamin C concentrations to normal (P < 0.0001) and was associated with a 71% reduction in mood disturbance (P = 0.0002) and a 51% reduction in psychological distress (P = 0.0002). High-dose vitamin D provided for a mean of 8.1 d increased plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations (P < 0.0001), but not into the normal range, and had insignificant effects on mood (P = 0.067) and distress (P = 0.45). The changes in mood and distress in the vitamin C group were greater than those in the vitamin D group (P = 0.045 for mood; P = 0.009 for distress).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term therapy with vitamin C improves mood and reduces psychological distress in acutely hospitalized patients with a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis C and D. No conclusion is possible regarding the effects of vitamin D because the dose and duration of therapy were insufficient to raise 25(OH)D concentrations into the normal range. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01630720.
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and Diagnostic Medicine, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Yifan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xing Jian
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Line
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robitaille
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eintracht
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: MacNamara
authors.forename: L John
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Hoffer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001361:Avitaminosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D; D001205:Ascorbic Acid