Warning: Undefined array key 0 in /home/supplementrelief/public_html/includes/core.php on line 6418
Vitamin D and Its Impact to Your Health
user search icon     shopping cart icon 0   email icon       email icon

vitamin d supplements in assorted shapes and sizes

Vitamin D and Mental Health

  blog post author icon   blog post published date icon   02/27/21

Supplements  

Vitamin D is commonly known as the 'sunshine vitamin.' This is simply because, when exposed to the sun, our bodies produce the vitamin. Let's take a look at what the science shows about how this vital vitamin impacts our mental health. 

vitamin d supplements in assorted shapes and sizes

Vitamin D and Mental Health

  blog post author icon   blog post published date icon   02/27/21

Supplements  

Vitamin D is commonly known as the 'sunshine vitamin.' This is simply because, when exposed to the sun, our bodies produce the vitamin. Let's take a look at what the science shows about how this vital vitamin impacts our mental health. 

It is thought that 1 billion people worldwide suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to many diseases such as osteoporosis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, as well as depression.

What Is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps to regulate the calcium and phosphorate in our bodies. The body stores Vitamin D in our fatty tissues.  We need these nutrients to maintain healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.

When you are outside, your body creates Vitamin D. The direct sunlight on your skin enables the body to produce the vitamin. In some climates worldwide, it can be difficult for our bodies to absorb Vitamin D from sunlight.

During the winter months -generally October to March in the northern hemisphere, we need to obtain Vitamin D from our diets or supplements.

Why Do We Need Vitamin D?

We need this essential vitamin not only for healthy bones, teeth, and muscles but for a comprehensive list of functions. Vitamin D can boost our metabolic system, contribute to our immune health, and help fight depression.

Our mental health is intrinsically linked to our physical health. More and more studies show that Vitamin D is associated with healthy optimal brain function.

Increased Vitamin D levels in the brain may also help us combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This disorder is usually diagnosed with depression-like symptoms. The lack of sunlight in the winter months results in lower levels of Vitamin D.

How Can We Get Vitamin D?

Approximately 50-90% of Vitamin D is absorbed from sunlight. In order to avoid deficiency, you require at least 20 minutes of sun a day.

The amount of sun you need, however, is ultimately dependent on the individual.

You could only need 15 minutes of sun for your body to produce enough Vitamin D, so you do not become deficient. You could require as much as three hours of sunlight to avoid deficiency. The time it takes for your body to produce the vitamin depends on how much melanin you have in your skin.

Spending as much time outdoors as possible is the best way to ensure you are optimizing your chance for Vitamin D production. 

Few foods contain Vitamin D, yet it is possible to obtain some of the vitamins via the foods you eat regularly. Vitamin D foods include:

  • egg yolks
  • Fortified foods - some cereals, spreads, and some kinds of milk
  • liver
  • red meat
  • oily fish - such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel

As well as eating foods high in vitamin d, you can get Vitamin D with a dietary supplement. Using supplements is especially important in the winter months.

Many health professionals recommend taking a Vitamin D supplement during winter. Vitamin D supplementation is also currently crucial in the wake of the pandemic. People can not go outside as often as usual due to lockdowns and restrictions.

Taking supplements that contain ten micrograms of Vitamin D should be enough for most healthy adults.

What Happens If We Don't Have Enough Vitamin D?

If you don't get enough Vitamin D, it can cause a variety of health problems. As well as the long-term afflictions such as osteoporosis and weak bones, lack of Vitamin D is also linked to mental health afflictions.

There is substantial evidence to suggest that sunlight affects our mood. The serotonin released when we are in direct sunlight makes us feel happier and more relaxed. If we don't get sunlight, and thus Vitamin D, it can cause us to feel more depressed. 

Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency

If you don't have enough Vitamin D, you may start to notice some of the following symptoms:

  • Tiredness and fatigue
  • Muscle pain
  • Bone pain
  • Digestive issues
  • Hair loss
  • Becoming sick more frequently
  • Low moods

As the symptoms of low Vitamin D levels are so generic, it is often hard to recognize them. The quickest and easiest way to find out if you are deficient is to ask your doctor for a blood test.

If you spend a lot of time indoors, or when you're outdoors, don't let the sun on your skin; you can put yourself at higher risk of Vitamin D deficiency.

Your skin finds it harder to absorb Vitamin D as you grow older. Deficiency can be more common amongst more senior individuals. 

What Is the Link Between Vitamin D and Mental Health?

A lack of Vitamin D can cause low moods, but there is no concrete evidence to prove that it is the primary cause of depression and anxiety. The relationship between Vitamin D levels and mental health problems is more correlational. 

In general, if you spend a lot of time inside, it can result in depression. In turn, if you are not spending much time outside, you will not get much sunlight on your skin.

When you suffer from low moods as part of the depression, taking care of your health may become less of a priority. Watching your diet and taking care of the nutrients you are absorbing can become difficult. 

Many health care professionals prescribe Vitamin D to those suffering from depression or anxiety. This is a result of a growing amount of evidence that suggests it is an effective treatment.

Increase Your Levels of Vitamin D

Vitamin D benefits everyone; we all require it to maintain a healthy body and mind. If getting sunlight is a challenge due to your lifestyle or where you live, your best option is taking a daily supplement.

It is proven sunshine boosts our mood and mental health. Ensuring you manage to get out in daylight will help improve your mood and ensure you aren't becoming deficient in Vitamin D.

Taking a daily supplement will also help you to maintain healthy levels of the Vitamin. If you are new to supplements and want some well-reviewed options, try NuMedica.



headshot of Jay Todtenbier 2018
Author

Jay Todtenbier is an original founder of SupplementRelief.com in 2010 and has operated the business ever since. He is also a tennis instructor and gospel musician. Formerly he spent 25 years in business development, technology and marketing with startups and major corporations having gone through the tech boom in Silicon Valley in the 90s. He became passionate about, and began studying and practicing Wellness as a Lifestyle after experiencing chronic, personal health challenges including depression, auto-immune disorders, and being overweight that impacted his ability to live a healthy, vibrant life. Since then, he has been an advocate for healthier living encouraging others to live better through making small, gradual changes to lifestyle behaviors relating to whole-foods nutrition, stress management, reasonable exercise, proper sleep, and the use of targeted, high-quality supplements.

Learn more about Jay Todtenbier.


  • product discussion forum icon Discussion Forum
    Questions or Feedback?

    Ask questions. Share your thoughts.  Note that we cannot answer questions relating to specific medical conditions - please refer those to your qualified healthcare provider.

    Post a new Comment or Reply to an existing one. Help for using the Discussion Forum.

    Post Comment

    help icon Discussion Forum Help

    Comments are displayed in order of the last one posted so the most recent one is at the top and the oldest one at the bottom.

    Replies within a Comment are displayed in reverse order with the oldest one at the top and the most recent one at the bottom.

    Each post identifies comment posted by icon who made the post and the comment timestamp icon date and time the post was made.

    Mouse over the icons for tooltips that explain what they mean.

    audio file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach an Audio file to your post.


    document file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach a Document file to your post.


    image file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach an Image file to your post.


    video file icon 

    If you see this icon you can attach a Video file to your post.

    You will see the ban post icon Ban icon (Report Post as SPAM) immediately following the Timestamp of the post. Click this icon if you feel strongly that the content posted is not appropriate and should be reviewed by the Forum Moderator. You will be provided with a confirmation dialog to be sure you wish to submit this post for review. If submitted, the Forum Moderator will be notified to review the post and will determine what type of action to take.

    Click exit icon in the upper right corner of this Help modal or anywhere on the web page outside of the modal to exit Help.

warning icon Session Expired from Inactivity


Do you want to?

You may also close your browser window/tab now to exit the website.


SupplementRelief.com
9618 Jefferson Highway, Suite D-191
Baton Rouge  LA  70809-9636
(888) 424-0032  | 
support@supplementrelief.com


* Disclaimer: This page is available exclusively for SupplementRelief.com clients. None of the information on this website is intended to replace your relationship with your healthcare provider(s). Nothing should be considered medical advice. The information, knowledge, and experience shared on this website are the opinions of SupplementRelief.com. This site and its content are intended to enhance your knowledge base as YOU MAKE YOUR OWN HEALTHCARE DECISIONS in partnership with your qualified health professional.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products and services are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.

* There is NO GUARANTEE OF SPECIFIC RESULTS for the products or services offered, and the RESULTS CAN VARY for each individual. Any results claimed by our customers are based on individual experiences that are unique and cannot be guaranteed.

FirstFitness Nutrition and NuMedica may be promoted and sold on the internet ONLY by Authorized Resellers who have been approved by and have registered their website domain with these companies. They strictly prohibit, and actively monitor, the UNAUTHORIZED SALE or RESALE of their products in ALL online public shopping portals including Amazon, eBay, and others and into other countries. All products purchased in SupplementRelief.com are for PERSONAL USE ONLY and CANNOT BE RESOLD to others. Please report violations of Reseller Policy directly to FirstFitness Nutrition at 800.621.4348 and to NuMedica at 800.869.8100.

The content and photographs on this website are copyrighted or Licensed Material and may not be downloaded for other than personal use. Republication, retransmission, reproduction, or any other use of the content or photographs is prohibited. ©2010-2024 SupplementRelief.com.

Are you sure you want to remove this item?


Warning: Undefined array key 0 in /home/supplementrelief/public_html/includes/core.php on line 6418