Vitamin D
What is vitamin D?
It's a fat-soluble vitamin (as opposed to water soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C) that's either absorbed from foods or from sun triggering its synthesis when you're outside.
Why is it important?
Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium and phosphate that have a role in bone growth. That's why, if you take calcium as a supplement, it probably is combined with vitamin D! It also has other functions, as we'll get to below.
Where can I find it?
You can take a supplement but it's best to get it from food. I often munch on some cod liver... yuck! Just kidding! Not so fast, liver is certainly NOT making it onto my plate! Instead, I prefer to drink some orange juice (that is usually fortified with vitamin D), eat scrambled eggs and chase it down with a glass of milk. Yogurt, tuna fish or some cheeses are not too bad of choices, either!
What's all this talk about vitamin D and depression?
There are many reasons that cause our mood to worsen, from our stressful jobs, difficulties we face to chemical reasons, meaning, something in our bodies making us feel "off". For instance, sometimes people suffering from anemia may feel depressed, or our blood sugar may have an effect on how we feel; this is why your provider may check your labs prior to giving you a definite diagnosis.
Low vitamin D levels are not the sole cause of depression. The link between those two isn't clear but this vitamin it thought to have a role on how much serotonin we have available in our brains, which has an impact on how we feel. There are many studies out there available for you to skim through, keeping in mind that although some sources show a link between low vitamin D and depressed mood, others don't. For instance, the Mayo Clinic deems the link between low vitamin D and depression as level C, meaning that there is unclear scientific evidence available.
It's sometimes unclear if taking a vitamin D supplement, when your levels are low, may improve your mood or not, but many studies suggest that, yes, it does. This is confusing, isn't it?
Bottom line is, health care providers often encourage patients to take a vitamin D supplement when their levels are low to prevent variety of issues, ranging from bone loss to intestinal health, and while doing so may not "cure" your mood disorder, it may contribute to your success with other means of treatment.
So load up your grocery cart with orange juice and sardines and give it a go! Ok, really, who eats sardines as a snack? My husband, that's who. Maybe that's why he's so chipper all the time.
More information available at National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements and The Mayo Clinic Drugs and Supplements.
As always, folks, you can't rely on this blog providing you with medical advice without knowing you! This is very general information, often written with a touch of humor. If you're feeling blue, if you feel like your depression had worsened, if your symptoms in general worsened or changed or if you have questions or concerns, call your provider or in case of emergency, call 911.
It's a fat-soluble vitamin (as opposed to water soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C) that's either absorbed from foods or from sun triggering its synthesis when you're outside.
Why is it important?
Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium and phosphate that have a role in bone growth. That's why, if you take calcium as a supplement, it probably is combined with vitamin D! It also has other functions, as we'll get to below.
Where can I find it?
You can take a supplement but it's best to get it from food. I often munch on some cod liver... yuck! Just kidding! Not so fast, liver is certainly NOT making it onto my plate! Instead, I prefer to drink some orange juice (that is usually fortified with vitamin D), eat scrambled eggs and chase it down with a glass of milk. Yogurt, tuna fish or some cheeses are not too bad of choices, either!
What's all this talk about vitamin D and depression?
There are many reasons that cause our mood to worsen, from our stressful jobs, difficulties we face to chemical reasons, meaning, something in our bodies making us feel "off". For instance, sometimes people suffering from anemia may feel depressed, or our blood sugar may have an effect on how we feel; this is why your provider may check your labs prior to giving you a definite diagnosis.
Low vitamin D levels are not the sole cause of depression. The link between those two isn't clear but this vitamin it thought to have a role on how much serotonin we have available in our brains, which has an impact on how we feel. There are many studies out there available for you to skim through, keeping in mind that although some sources show a link between low vitamin D and depressed mood, others don't. For instance, the Mayo Clinic deems the link between low vitamin D and depression as level C, meaning that there is unclear scientific evidence available.
It's sometimes unclear if taking a vitamin D supplement, when your levels are low, may improve your mood or not, but many studies suggest that, yes, it does. This is confusing, isn't it?
Bottom line is, health care providers often encourage patients to take a vitamin D supplement when their levels are low to prevent variety of issues, ranging from bone loss to intestinal health, and while doing so may not "cure" your mood disorder, it may contribute to your success with other means of treatment.
So load up your grocery cart with orange juice and sardines and give it a go! Ok, really, who eats sardines as a snack? My husband, that's who. Maybe that's why he's so chipper all the time.
More information available at National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements and The Mayo Clinic Drugs and Supplements.
As always, folks, you can't rely on this blog providing you with medical advice without knowing you! This is very general information, often written with a touch of humor. If you're feeling blue, if you feel like your depression had worsened, if your symptoms in general worsened or changed or if you have questions or concerns, call your provider or in case of emergency, call 911.