Study of Vitamin D in the Severely Mentally Ill

A Pilot Study of Vitamin D Supplementation in Bronx Psychiatric Patients

Supplementation of Vitamin D in those with low levels will increase the level and result in some improvement in health and psychopathology measures.

Subjects with levels of Vitamin D between 7ng/ml and 30ng/ml will, after signing consent forms, be randomly assigned to either start immediately on Vitamin D for three months or to start after a delay of three months. Those with levels below 7gn/ml will start immediately. All will be evaluated monthly with blood tests, PANSS, movement disorder ratings and information on health and progress from the clinical chart.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 19-70,
• Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder
• stabilized but not expecting to be discharged soon
• capacity to give informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• acutely psychotic
• acutely medically ill
• renal insufficiency
• hypercalcemia
• hyperparathyroidism