Vitamin D anti depressant

[starty]

Hi guys

Looking for some input. I have seen a few posts that talk about the value of vitamin D as an anti depressant. Anyone got any experience or advice?

Many thanks

[satz123]

Starts -- I try to take vitamin D all the time. It was a tip given by a gym guy who I think of as the experts in nutrition.
It's is really lacking in our modern lifestyle.
I had blood tests in April and the doc was delighted with my vitamin 'D' levels as he says deficiency causes all manner of things.
But the body can't store it - and recently I keep forgetting - thanks for reminder.

Fish oils are good too for low moods.
So I need to get them in too. Have let that slide recently.

[starty]

Fab Satz. Thank you for that. How much do you take? To start you are supposed to take mega dose is that so?

[idefineme]

I don't take vitamin D in the summer because I get outside a lot. The short days of winter definitely affect my mood, and I have found that D absolutely helps. I've only recently started taking fish oil, but can't say yet if it helps with mood for me. I know it's good for a lot of things though, so I plan on keep taking it no matter what.

[starty]

How much do you take Idefineme? I suffer with SAD over winter for sure and I am permanently on ADs. My addictions obviously contribute to my depression too but I would like to be more resilient to mood changes

[Sunbeam]

I am no expert on supplements, but I've read that our bodies are able to produce 80% of the vitamin D that we need. We do need daily sunshine, about 20 minutes, to enable our bodies to produce the vitamin D. Getting outdoors always does make me feel better, even if the temperatures are low.

[NoSugar]

Our bodies can make vitamin D but the precursor is cholesterol, which can be a problem for all the people who have gone to great lengths, including taking statins, to lower their cholesterol. The 20 minutes of direct sunlight needs to be on a fairly large surface area of skin (legs, arms, torso) with no sunscreen. Given that, it's pretty rare for most people to synthesize enough, especially at northern or southern latitudes or in winter. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, which can get us through some periods of insufficiency, but getting a good amount through diet (or, if necessary, supplementation) is probably a good idea.

[lizker]

My blood work showed that I was pretty low in April. I do take it supplementary through multivitamins...I do notice a difference but I wouldn't attribute it to jus vitamin D. Our bodies are pretty complex and there's a symbiotic relationship between several chemicals, hormones, neurotransmitters, amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Alcohol pretty much depletes us of everything and throws our hormones out of balance. Blood sugar is also a huge consideration when it comes to mood. All b vitamins are needed for good mood. When we stop drinking, our body slowly starts to heal and replenish these depleted supplies...over time depression does get better with better nutrition, a good multivitamin, fish oil, plenty of fruits and veggies with lean protein can make a big difference...Sleep is also very important for mood. If you sleep poorly, it doesn't matter how well you feed your body, you will be in a funky mood...not an expert but I have done extensive research and experimentation due to my severe depression and this is what I find working for me.

[paulywogg]

I took 5,000 iu of prescription vitamin D3 my doctor gave me,I couldn't tolerate it,I'm thinking it threw something else off balance in my wacky body,maybe try indoor tanning?

[NoSugar]

Vitamins A and D need to be in balance so too much of one can cause problems with the other, which is one reason a "food" source like cod liver oil is good - you get both of those, vitamin K2, long-chain fish fatty acids, etc.

[idefineme]

I take 5,000 mg during the winter month to help with the low moods. You could also try sitting under a full-spectrum light while visiting MWO, which also helps my mood during the long winter days. You can Google it and do a little research about them. Sounds like NS really knows her stuff, so keep all what she's saying in mind. If you decide to take a supplement and start having other symptoms, maybe it's tied in with the vitamin A thing. This is a great topic for this time of year! Let us know what you end up doing.

[starty]

One of my issues is that I am veggie and do not take fish oils although I know they would help me.

I do have a full spectrum light I just keep forgetting to use it which is not terribly helpful. I love hearing everyones feedback Thank you all and keep it coming !!

[SKendall]

hi Starty, I was just diagnosed with severe vitamin D deficiency. My dr. told me that 95% of world's population is deficient, unless you bathe in the nude 9 months a year!
I am now on 3,000 of D-3. 1,000 3 x a day. I use my phone to remind me.

[starty]

Has it made a difference to you SK?

[satz123]

it deffo helps with hair & nails.
My nails will not stop growing

My hair was falling out but I read that the reason was new hair was pushing out the old ones - I have decided to believe that :haha: