Vitamin D and Depression: Shedding Light on Mental Health

Introduction

If you struggle with depression, vitamin D, AKA the sunshine vitamin, may be beneficial to help prevent or lessen depressive symptoms. Depression impacts millions of people every year, and numbers are expected to increase over the next decade. Depression affects people of all ages, ethnicities and genders. The cause of depression is not quite understood at this time. It is believed there may be a number of factors that can impact depression. One thing is for sure, we want to do everything in our power to mitigate depressive symptoms.  

Understanding Depression and Its Challenges

Depression can look different for everyone. For some depression looks like barely being able to get your foot out of bed in the morning. Others may be full of smiles and laughter when they are out in public, but in reality they are extremely sad, lonely or unhappy on the inside. Some deal with depression all year round while others may experience depression seasonally, commonly called seasonal affective disorder or SAD for short. SAD is linked to a decrease in sunlight exposure. In many countries as we enter into the winter months getting out in the sun becomes much more challenging. We cover up our bodies to keep warm and keep our skin protected from the cold while at the same time having less sunlight. It becomes a lot harder for us to get adequate amounts of vitamin d. 

What Is Vitamin D and Why Is It Important?

Vitamin D is essential for our health. It plays a variety of roles from keeping our heart healthy, bones strong, supports immunity and it also impacts our mood. Most of our vitamin D stores naturally come from sunlight. In the summer months we tend to spend a lot more time outside in the warmth and the sun giving our bodies the opportunity to take in vitamin D. In the winter this is much more challenging. Through the fall and winter we need to consider other ways to make sure we are getting enough vitamin D. We can get vitamin D from foods like fatty fish, eggs or figs. Getting enough vitamin D through food can be challenging, which is why you might also want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

The Science Behind Vitamin D and Mental Health

Song et al (2018) conducted a study which involved 177 heart failure patients and assessed their vitamin D levels. At the 6 month check in, researchers  found the individuals who were supplementing with vitamin D experienced lower depressive symptoms as well as reduced cardiac events. A double win! In the article they suggest by using vitamin D to reduce depressive symptoms the heart also benefits. 

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Jahan-Mihan et al (2024) conducted a study where they looked into various types of research to learn more about the role B vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin D play in depression and seasonal affective disorder. The researchers found individuals with low amounts of vitamin D were 3.5x more prone to developing depression!

How does vitamin D help with depression? Without getting too scientific, vitamin D supports brain health through serotonin synthesis, a process responsible for maintaining serotonin (your happy hormone levels). Vitamin D also supports nerve growth (a messenger system in our bodies) and reduces inflammation. (Somoza-Moncada et al., 2023) 

The authors make note that the research on the role vitamin D has with depression is inconsistent. These papers do show a positive correlation between vitamin D and a reduction in depressive symptoms, but we would still like to see more research in the future.  

How to Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels

How do you get enough vitamin D?

• Spend time outdoors and soak in that sun! 

  • To reduce the risk of sunburns you can wear a long sleeve cotton shirt and try to get out in the morning or evening before the sun is at its peak

• Leave the sunglasses at home so the eyes can take in some extra vitamin D

• Enjoy foods like fatty fish, eggs and figs

• Supplement vitamin D

If you are looking to supplement vitamin D the amount needed varies by individuals and regions. If you live in a place that has more sun, your supplementation amount would be less than a person who lives in a colder climate. It is a good idea to get blood work completed by a professional to get a picture of how much vitamin D you already have in your body before deciding to supplement. 

Are Vitamin D Supplements Right for You?

If you are someone who experiences SAD or is currently experiencing depression, supplementing with vitamin D could be very beneficial for your mental health. It is important to understand which dose is best for you based on your current situation. Too much vitamin D can have negative health consequences. 

According to the Mayo Clinic (2022) the recommended daily amount (RDA) for vitamin D is:

• 400 IUs for children 0-12 months

• 600 IUs for adults aged 1-70

• 800 IUs adults 70+

Keep in mind the RDA is the amount to keep you alive, so you may need to supplement higher than those amounts. 

Conclusion

If you are struggling with depression, vitamin D can be a beneficial supplement. However, it is important to speak to a professional as vitamin D may be a great preventative tool, but not the primary plan of action. There are medications available that can support people struggling with depression. Depending on your situation, antidepressants can be prescribed short or long term. It is important to talk to your health care provider on what options are available to you as these medications save lives.

Another powerful treatment is therapy with a professional therapist that is a good fit for you. Depression doesn't usually go away in a day or a week. It can take time for the symptoms to get better, which is why it is important to seek help to make sure you have the best treatment plan for your situation. 

I encourage you to connect with a healthcare provider to get your vitamin D levels checked. If you are someone who struggles with SAD, perhaps consider adding to your daily supplements and increasing the dose every Fall through to Spring. If you are already struggling with depression, please reach out and get help. There are ways to make depression more manageable. The world can be a chaotic place sometimes and asking for help makes you a courageous human! 

Reference List

Jahan-Mihan A, Stevens P, Medero-Alfonso S, Brace G, Overby LK, Berg K, Labyak C. The Role of Water-Soluble Vitamins and Vitamin D in Prevention and Treatment of Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder in Adults. Nutrients. 2024 Jun 17;16(12):1902. doi: 10.3390/nu16121902. PMID: 38931257; PMCID: PMC11206829.

Mayo Clinic. (2022, March 22). Vitamin D toxicity: What if you get too much? Mayo Clinic. Retrieved November 19, 2024, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792

Somoza-Moncada, M. M., Turrubiates-Hernández, F. J., Muñoz-Valle, J. F., Gutiérrez-Brito, J. A., Díaz-Pérez, S. A., Aguayo-Arelis, A., & Hernández-Bello, J. (2023). Vitamin D in depression: A potential bioactive agent to reduce suicide and suicide attempt risk. Nutrients, 15(1765). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15071765

Song EK, Wu JR, Moser DK, Kang SM, Lennie TA. Vitamin D supplements reduce depressive symptoms and cardiac events in heart failure patients with moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2018 Mar;17(3):207-216. doi: 10.1177/1474515117727741. Epub 2017 Aug 22. PMID: 28829157.