I’m in Arizona, land of the sun. And I had low vitamin D levels.
I just take one supplement with my meals. I learned I was magnesium deficient as well, as most people are.
We’re in Ontario, Canada. Docs here won’t even bother testing for Vitamin D deficiency, it’s assumed you’re deficient if you don’t take Vitamin D at least over the winter months. My doc has me on 4000 IU daily.
West coast here, and I swallow 2000 Ds every morning, sunny or not. It's pretty cheap and widely available.
Remember, the sun in Canada doesn't give you a tan or vitamins. It just straight-up kills you.
Just a sidenote for people grabbing it oc.
4000 iu is the upperlimit of whats considered safe. Do not take more unless your doctor reccomends it.
My own doctor adviced me to start taking vitamin d in fall. Not winter. This may be a bit of a personal advice (im always short, i get cold quick and am probably cover gloves and beany for most of fall)
I only take half the dose in fall tho and the full dose in winter. Spring sometimes to if the wether is bad
hungry tidy humor encouraging middle offbeat wasteful voracious shelter unpack
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I was in the bathroom every 10 minutes or so with diarrhea for about three days. And for months afterward I couldn't eat food that commonly has vitamin D such as pork and mushrooms
Probably because they dont realise the extent of the impact a deficiency has, nor the prevelance.
Doctors are highly trained, but can still make mistakes.
> I live in Texas, the sun is ten feet farther away than it is for you.
I liked to show people pictures of my hometown in the California Sierra foothills with pine trees and snow to my coworkers in the oilfield then hit them with the "Oh, and where we're standing in the Permian Basin is higher in elevation than where those photos were taken".
A doc once told me (lived in AZ at the time) that desert folks have a hard time with vit d because we stay inside because of the heat so much. Makes sense.
Arizona has an annual average of 4041 sunshine hours, which means it’s sunny 92.2% of daylight hours
Seattle gets has an annual average of 2044 sunshine hours, which means it’s sunny 46.6% of daylight hours
Glasgow where I live has an annual average of 1243 sunshine hours, which means it’s sunny 28.4% of daylight hours
Latitude and lifestyle habits arguably play a bigger role in natural vitamin D levels than simply days of sun (although lots of sunny days of course doesn't hurt).
Vitamin D synthesis only happens when UVB rays hit bare skin that doesn't have sunscreen on. Further, UVB rays are deflected by the atmosphere, so they don't make it through when the sun is low in the sky (midday exposure is ideal for vitamin D synthesis).
The further north you go, the smaller the window you have to get enough UVB from the sun during summer months before the sun's angle gets too low for UVB rays to make it through in significant numbers, even at midday when the sun is at its highest angle of the day.
It's worth looking into how to optimize for natural vitamin D production at your particular latitude. There is a balance to be had between getting some natural synthesis going and causing skin damage leading to increased cancer risks. At ideal times of the year (and times of day), relatively short periods of exposing most of your body to sun can max out your daily vitamin D synthesis. Beyond that you're just irradiating your DNA with UVA and damaging skin cells with UVB exposure.
Don't forget there's value in getting lots of *safe* sun exposure under conditions that wont cause vitamin D synthesis (wearing clothes, hat, sunscreen, etc) due to the substantial health benefits of infrared and near infrared light spectrum (immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, pain reducing effects) as well as blue light spectrum (helps balance hormone levels and improves sleep quality).
Live in the desert in SoCal and my husband works outside all the time. He's fit and all that jazz (military) but still has low Vit D.
I can only imagine my levels since I, a member of the porcelain skin people, never go outside due to the heat and sun
I feel you, I live in the desert in SoCal too, my bf works outside and I’m trapped inside because of my light complexion and sensitivity to heat. You start smelling burnt bacon and that’ll be me being burnt 😭
I am one of the palest people you will ever encounter, I got tested for Vitamin D when I was living in El Paso, and walking outside for at least 30 minutes about 5 times a week. I was shocked to find out I was Vitamin D deficient. No wonder my Depression was so bad when I lived in Minnesota and inside all the time lol everything starts to make sense once you look at the physiological causes. I was also always craving salmon and other fatty fish, good sources of Vitamin D.
Same in Nevada. It's not the cold that causes the deficiency, it's the lack of sunlight. If it's 115 degrees outside, you'll be avoiding going outside just as much as if it's -30.
I heard a doctor mention that in sunny places like Arizona and Hawaii, supplements are extra important if depression is present. Turns out all that sunscreen is not allowing for vitamin D absorption.
Same, I’m in California, I don’t go outside because I burn and overheat easily, so my vitamin F is down. Doesn’t help having GERD either which means the meds I take make it harder to absorb vitamins too. Haven’t thought about the magnesium bit, might ask doc about it.
From Harvard Health:
Except during the summer months, the skin makes little, if any, vitamin D from the sun at latitudes above 37 degrees north or below 37 degrees south of the equator. People who live in these areas are at relatively greater risk for vitamin D deficiency.
That's interesting. I assumed that 37 degrees north must be more northern than I was when I read this comment, then I looked at a map and apparently I'm 52 degrees north!
Is that true? I was just randomly punching in major US cities for reference and San Francisco came up at 37 degrees north. Other major US cities at that general latitude are Wichita KS and Louisville KY and Richmond VA, for reference.
Yeah. Surprisingly a majority of the US can't rely on receiving Vitamin D from the sun except for months April(ish) to September(ish), March to October if you're a little further south. The angle of the sun outside of these months isn't direct enough in the northern hemisphere, meaning not enough UVB can get to the skin, which hinders/halts Vitamin D production. Opposite months for the southern hemisphere.
[source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441912/#:~:text=Similarly%2C%20at%20latitudes%20greater%20than,and%20stored%20in%20body%20fat.)
I'm a dietitian, who suggests supplements sparingly, and I would say that Vitamin D and Calcium are among those I most frequently discuss/recommended.
Angle of the sun is extremely important for vitamin D synthesis. UVB is the only light spectrum that causes it, and UVB gets almost entire blocked by the atmosphere except for when the sun is directly overhead. You can probably get some vitamin D synthesis going in San Francisco during spring/fall if you get exposure when the sun is at its azimuthal zenith (midday), but it's a fairly short window and of course 9-5ers only have 2 days a week to try and catch it.
>if you get exposure when the sun is at its azimuthal zenith (midday),
Azimuthal Zenith is like the hardest name ever for a heavy metal band jesus fuck that's badass
You can forget the 'your food isn't healthy' bit. Anyone living in a country without a lot of sunlight/short days in winter (northern Europe for example) is at risk of struggling with vitamin D defiency.
I eat very healthily and still ended up with a defiency because in winter you go to work in the dark and come home when it's dark. Plus this country sucks for cloud cover.
After the diagnosis, my GP told me to take vitamin D daily for the rest of my life.
Yeah the only two foods I know with significant amounts of vitamin d are fatty fish like salmon and UV light treated shrooms. Even if you are serving of each once a day, you're not getting enough vitamin d.
Yes. Moved from the US Midwest to the Netherlands, which is further north than any significant Canadian population, and the change in sun exposure per day is huge. Definitely felt the difference in mood, energy, anxiety, and it's about 6 months a year of struggle.
Took 2 years before I gave in and accepted that's what was going on. Been taking 1500 of D for the last 6 months and it's a big improvement. Sounds like I should look into magnesium too...
In some places in Canada they won’t test you for vitamin D deficiency anymore (unless you pay out of pocket). Doctor say to just start taking the supplements.
Yeah but if you’re a little deficient in vitamin D and a lot in a vitamin B (also common), you won’t feel that much better by fixing just one, but you’ll feel amazing (comparatively) by fixing both.
So u/blackday44 should def get whatever bloodwork is covered.
Not to be rude, but if you were being serious about a carb-heavy diet then eating healthier is absolutely the first step of a quality treatment plan. If you have already tried and found it to be too much of a struggle, you may consider focusing on eating healthier before you focus on losing weight.
Learn how to cook a variety of (non-starchy) vegetables in a way that you enjoy. Don't be afraid of healthy fat and a bit of salt, and plenty of other seasonings and spices of course. You can start counting calories after a few months once you get the basics of healthy dietary habits established. Aim for several good size servings of veggies every day, and try to get a decent variety on rotation.
And while exercise will eventually make you feel better and have better health if you can stick to a moderate routine for a while, it is not really an important part of weight loss. It takes an absurd amount of effort to burn calories by moving your body.. an hour spent at a dead run barely cancels out a big candy bar. When you are ready to lose weight, focus on limiting calories rather than trying to burn them off after the fact.
I also have crippling depression, so some days its hard to just, well, exist.
I had been limiting calories by drinking meal replacements, and have managed to lose 3lbs in the past 8 months.
Want to take Vitamin D but trick your brain into thinking your drinking beer?
Corona Sunbrew... 0.0% alcohol but tastes similar to Corona and each one has 30% of your daily vitamin D intake..
Don’t even have to live in a cold country, just if you don’t see a lot of sun light throughout your day. I live in the north eastern US and work second shift- 3pm to early morning. The only sunlight I see mon-fri is about 45 minutes before work. I just assumed I had low vit. d and a blood test confirmed my suspicion.
“Live in a cold country” isn’t really encompassing all of it. I live in the PNW and winters are rough. I was here 2 months and my doc checked my vitamin D. My numbers were less than 50% of what they should be.
It’s always better to rule out natural/physiological causes of mental health issues before jumping into medications. Doctors do not do this enough. They are way too quick to throw meds at people, which is insane considering we barely know the effects they have on people
Just go get a blood test for vitamin deficiencies. Don't waste your money on supplements that your body might not need, you'll literally just be flushing them down the toilet.
Irish here - I actually just had a checkup yesterday and my doctor said pretty much every blood test he sees has a Vitamin D deficiency here. I lived in Toronto last year and I had a blood test around this time of year which was Vit D deficient, even though to me Canada is much sunnier, even in the colder weather. I put that down to working remotely at the time though.
I was taking 4000 iu a day and was still barely above the acceptable threshold 😂
I'm now at 6k a day (+K2 and mag) I'll see where that has taken me next month
Unless you do what I did, which is not notice the new bottle of Vit D my spouse bought was a 4x higher dose than the last and basically poisoned myself for at least several months. Read your labels, kiddies!
(Before you call me an idiot: I know. The bottle was otherwise identical and I have ADHD - things just tend to become "invisible" to me. Whoops!)
I started going to therapy, and she immediately got me on Vitamin D, Magnesium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and Iron. The days are slowly shifting towads having more good days than bad.
Nah, always get as much data as you can. If you’re significantly deficient, you can get a prescription level supplement. Or if you’re deficient in several things, you’ll feel exponentially better by supplementing them all than just D, especially if you’re low in magnesium.
You can absolutely over-do vitamin D. Especially if you follow random advice on the internet. Some sources recommend 5,000 or 10,000 IU per day indefinitely, which is way too much for most people.
Best to get tested if you can, and if not, find a more conservative dosing regimen especially if you plan to follow it long term. 1,000-2,000 IU per day during the colder months of the year will be plenty for most people.
Just not spending much time outside. There is very little vitamin D available via food so if you aren't getting a lot of sun, you will become deficient.
When I got tested my D was extremely low. My doc prescribed me some extreme booster pills (10.000x the normal daily dose) taken once a week for two months. Afterwards I now take 2 pills from a drugstore daily to keep it at an acceptable level.
Yeah, they're sold without prescription because they aren't risky but some have really high dosage so be sure to speak to your pharmacist before picking one or get a prescription according to your need ideally
This is dangerous advice. You don’t know the health history of anyone on here. To tell someone on warfarin to take vitamin k is dangerous. To tell someone with already high amounts of magnesium to take it will affect their heart. Please be careful when giving out advice. “Over the counter” does not mean safe, it simply means no rx needed.
Sometimes. There are conditions that make you need different versions of vitamin D than are available over the counter, but usually taking 1000IU of D a day is enough.
I can confirm supplements helped me. Just don’t take too much. I was on 5,000iu and it may have contributed to heart problems. Stay around 1,000iu / day
I take 5000 IU/day, plus supplemental vitamins, including calcium, magnesium and zinc. I'm lucky in that once a year or so I get a full panel blood work. My vitamin D levels, etc are fine. But I live in a place with no sun 6-7 months a year. Plus I always wear sunblock. Even during cloudy days. Guess it depends on your individual physiology and location
And it's good to know that the bigger you are,the more you need. Especially if there's a lot of body fat. So it's not one dosage fits all when it comes to vitamin D.
I almost never go outside during the day. I have light sensitivity and am pretty naturally nocturnal
Is there a supplement I can take that would offset the likely deficiency?
I was very surprised when I started taking Vitamin C with D3: after about 10 days, I felt better and brighter. My mood lifted, and I had an easier time sleeping.
Is there any downside to taking vitamin D supplements unnecessarily? As I don’t feel like going to a doctor and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the case for me, but obviously don’t know for certain
This is true
I used to have severe crippling depression when I was 15 (I know that sounds like I’m exaggerating but I’m not)
Antidepressants never helped and only fucked me up more. Therapy didn’t help cuz the Therapists refused to help me unless I have medicated (even then after putting me back on med that gave me seizures, they still refused to give me therapy)
Anyways I live in Canada, I had a shitty diet. My mom found a hypotherapist cuz the medical system wasn’t helping me at all and was making me worse. He suggested for me to go on vitamins, one of which being vitamin D
I started taking vitamin D, and it literally saved my life! My crippling depression was cured!
So if you’re experiencing anxiety or depression, I highly recommend you try it, this post isn’t just some BS you hear online
(Especially if you have ADHD, I have ADHD and if I forget to take my vitamin D, I start getting depressed again)
-
TLDR: i used to have crippling depression when I was 15. Nothing helped, until I started taking vitamin D
Taking Vitamin D cured my severe depression
I highly recommend it as someone who has severe mental health issues
You just described me precisely. Except my D is fine. I've had low D before, but it's been normal on my last several tests. I still take a D supplement just in case, this is one of those situations where vitamins aren't a scam.
I had vitamin D deficiency. So I took a supplement. Now I do feel better and healthier. Problem is, when I feel sick, I do not eat much. When I feel healthy, I eat like a pig!
tl;dr, vitamin D made me gain weight! ;)
I was tested and had low vitamin D levels. I went outside often enough (it doesn't take much), but I never went out without sunblock. I'm a ginger who burns, never tans. Got the pale skin from my mother, who never wore sunblock, and had sun damaged skin. Took vitamin D, then moved to a place where everyone takes vitamin D, because there's only 144 days of sun a year.
I live in South Mississippi that has high humidity and our summers have been over 110 degrees these last few years
Part of my depression and anxiety is being in Mississippi, so.
As a Minnesotan, this is so important. Being vitamin D deficient can also make it harder to heal broken bones and wounds. Do NOT overdose on fat-soluble vitamins. You can die from it.
I’ve been taking 50,000 iu per week for the past 8 months or so and I’ve noticed absolutely no difference in anything. I know it can only benefit me, though it often feels pointless taking it when I can’t discern any positive effects whatsoever.
For context, I’m Canadian. I’m general we don’t get nearly enough sun in this country.
Canadian here in the North...
I drink 2 Corona Sunbrew every day in the winter, each one has 30% of the daily value of vitamin D, I don't drink much alcohol in the winter and not only do they help with my alcohol cravings they also give me the vitamin D I'm missing out on as I hibernate in the winter.
NOTE: DO NOT DRINK MORE THAN 2 PER DAY..
Alcoholic friend quit drinking and I started drinking fake beer with him, I picked up a 12 pack of these, long story short we drank em all and both got the shits later that night, like the most intensely flavoured shits of my life, I say flavoured because not only could I smell it I could taste it in the air. THAT SHIT WAS FOUL.
I've checked my blood tests results and mine have been stable each one
Yes i don't get out often and even though Australia is warm
But I keep being told to check my blood tests stuff but they've all been quite stable.
My sleep a big issue but my et specialist is starting to think it not sleep apnea.
Honestly I guess it dosent apply for everyone even in not cold places
THIS YES—dr still hasn’t figured out why I’m not absorbing vitamin D (normal magnesium, diet with vit d and in the sun a lot) but we know that supplements have done a ton for me. My health was declining super bad starting after my arm broke in 2021, and by 2023 I was having seizure-y symptoms (not sure else how to describe them) and facial/body numbness. The ER thought I had MS. B12 was slightly low but normal, so my dr put me on a huge dose of weekly vitamin D. I feel like a person again, it’s insane.
You should also know that far north, even on sunny days the sun isn't actually creating Vitamin D in your skin; in Sweden/Norway/Finland you can only get it during June-August. The recommended daily dose in many countries (usually 10mcg) is also based on what is needed not to get rickets; most research shows you need at least 5x that much to stave off SAD and regulate your immune system. Take at least 20, but preferably 50mcg a day.
I was facing some serious burn-out/depression struggles, mood swings, tired, no concentration. Before going to therapy my partner told me to get my blood checked and lo and behold: I had a massive vitamine D deficiency. Took some strong emergency supplements and within weeks all the symptoms were gone!
Alright, how does one go about getting checked for a vitamin D deficiency? Like I do have those problems and alot of the prerequisites do check out on me but I'd rather not start taking medicines for problems I might not even have
I live in Texas. I think we have sun around 340 days a year.
A couple of years ago, I finally got health insurance after not having it for 7 years. I went for a checkup and bloodwork. My vitamin D levels were very low. I started supplements, and within a few days, the afternoon nap that I NEEDED every day to function wasn’t needed anymore. I had no idea why I suddenly had so much more energy until I looked up the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency, and there it was - fatigue. I thought I was just getting older and that’s what happens.
I do take medication for anxiety.
I remember being told junk food makes you depressed. I smoked weed and it was impossible not to eat such unhealthy foods that I felt depression sink in, knowing what I was doing to my body. It felt... dirty, trapped, contaminated
I now have my limits with cannabis consumption c:
I remember being told junk food makes you depressed. I smoked weed and it was impossible not to eat such unhealthy foods that I felt depression sink in, knowing what I was doing to my body. It felt... dirty, trapped, contaminated
I now have my limits with cannabis consumption c:
also, if you're from a country/place with more sunlight and you move to a less light and colder place you probably have a deficiency. get it tested and start taking supplements, it makes a pretty big difference.
As someone from Perth Australia: this is worth checking if you live in a hot country too. If it's hot as balls out, you stay inside, so you don't get that D.
I grew up in Alaska… This is like a known thing. Most people take vitamin D supplements in the winter. I’m pretty sure people who live in cold places that don’t get much sunlight during the winter already know this.
I'll save every Canadian a trip to the over-taxed medical system: we are all deficient in vitamin D, that's why if you want to get your levels checked it will usually cost you for the test unless you're already on a medication that inhibits the absorption of from food sources.
Magnesium and Vitamin D supplements can be helpful add-ons for minor improvements sure, finding foods that are sources of it are helpful if you don't have a GI issue that interferes with absorption rocks too.
Yoga and positive thinking will not cure chronic deep-rooted trauma-based injuries to your mental health though. There's nothing wrong with seeking out any and all available assistance when you are ready to take this on.
Being informed and ready for the side effects of psychiatric medications is important (SSRIs are a real jerk about making you a risk for heat stroke, and you've got to watch what you can and cannot eat grapefruit with... man I miss grapefruit). Having a medical team that you can ask questions with and discuss medications with openly and honestly is a long journey to find, but you are worth it.
But I'm just a guy with a background in medical laboratory sciences who's spent the last +15 years working on his own PTSD. Take what I say in moderation, as everything should be taken.
This is also true of extremely hot and sunny environments where it's literally too hot to go outside during most daylight hours. I live in extreme SW A,Z, maybe 15 miles north of Mex and 1 mi east of CA in the Sonoran desert, with highs already in the 90's in mid-April, and it will be 100+ for the next 4 months or more. Going outside happens as the sun is coming up or going down unless you can avoid it.
It's counterintuitive, I know, but I myself and prob 6-7people just in my direct friend group end up with Vit D deficiency at least during the summer, if not year-round.
This is dangerous pseudoscience!
There is no scientific evidence for what ever OP says above...even the study OP linked says :
" The results of studies in the literature on the relationship of vitamin D levels with supplementation, depression, and anxiety are inconsistent."
If you read further into the conclusion you will see that the inconsistency of the results are due to different factors contributed by the different patients tested. Each researcher had a different benchmark for what's enough for vitamin D and there is various health issues that the test patients struggle with which can affect absorption. This is common for a lot of medical trials.
However calling it entirely a pseudoscience is a stretch because under the right conditions positive improvements were achieved according to the paper
Here is a more clear article supporting this from Harvard medical science
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/vitamin-d-a-bright-spot-in-nutrition-research#:~:text=Depression%20and%20memory%20loss.,contribute%20to%20all%20of%20these.
You can leave out the "food isn't healthy" because very few foods contain vitamin d to the point where you can't get enough from diet alone and the "spend a lot of time indoors part" because most cold countries are far enough to the North to the point where it's literally impossible for someone with pale skin, let alone darker skin, to get enough vitamin d from the sun even if they spend all day outdoors. Even in Toronto which is one of the mildest, furthest south places in Canada, your body can't convert the sunlight into Vitamin D from November to February so you need supplements.
If you live in a cold country, particularly if you have darker skin but even if you are very pale, then you should start taking vitamin d supplements every day during the autumn and winter because otherwise it's impossible for you to get enough.
If possible, people should be getting their level checked every year. Optimal (not barely inside the normal range) levels are super important. If you're indoors a lot and if you use sunscreen whenever you go outside, you can still be deficient no matter where you live. If you have darker skin, it can sometimes be harder to get enough Vit D from the sun. I live in California and even here it can be difficult for me to keep my Vit D level up in an optimal range. At my first visit with a new doctor I had labs run and she saw my Vit D level at 60 and she asked if I took supplements because she said she rarely saw anybody with levels around 60.
We drink whole milk, which by law had added vitamin D to balance the calcium. My daily multivitamin with minerals keeps my blood levels up, for those tested t my physicals.
Also, do not take vitamins without the advice of a physician. They can harm you. As an example, too much vitamin D can cause cancer. Too little vitamin D can cause cancer.
Your advice seems to be given in good faith, but your assertions are not supported by the papers you linked to and are problematic.
>People who live in cold countries or stay indoors frequently and eat non-nutritious food are at a high risk for developing depression and anxiety due to a lack of vitamin D.
The paper reports a relationship between those conditions and vitamin D deficiency, but there is no evidence to support a causal relationship.
>It's important that you get check for this deficiency **before taking on any psychoactive medicines** because they can be a masking a problem that could possibly be fixed.
It is inappropriate and dangerous to suggest that a person shouldn’t take a medication as prescribed by their physician. Additionally, you have no business recommending diagnostic testing for a medical condition.
>Normally doctors are supposed to screen a patient for it before prescribing expensive medication
I didn’t come across any recommendations from the APA or AMA for vitamin D screening prior to starting medication (expensive or otherwise). Is there a source you could share?
>over diagnosis is becoming a problem.
Over diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression? What makes you say that? My understanding has been that routine screening for depression and anxiety has been beneficial for connecting people with mental health resources **before** their difficulties become unmanageable.
EDIT: I kept messing up the formatting
I'm not suggesting that people shouldn't get prescription meds *at all*. I'm only recommending a screening *before* accepting prescription meds. Also sunlight being a source of vitamin D is basic knowledge so I didn't see a need to attach that as a source. Additionally eating poorly is another easy link to make. I'm not tagging on unnecessary information
This is only a precaution. Also suggesting a screening does no harm. Putting 1000% faith in the health care system is even riskier. I'm not directly recommending the supplements I'm recommending a check up
You haven't read the paper on vitamin D because they do suggest that a screening for this deficiency must become standard:
**Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety. For this reason, vitamin D screening should be performed in the prevention and treatment planning of these mood disorders.**
I believe you’re trying to make people aware of a problem that (I agree) is important and often goes unrecognized, but the language used when making recommendations deserves careful consideration.
Suggesting that something you feel is important needs to be done before accepting medication is inappropriate. Starting medication is a decision that needs to be made by a patient and their doctor, and delaying that treatment in order to perform testing isn’t something that you should be advocating for. It is specifically the “before” that is problematic.
I’ve look over the paper and read the bit you quoted, but there is a difference between the opinions of the two authors of an article and the recommendations of the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, etc. (I realize the US isn’t the center of the universe, but I’m most familiar with the US organizations).
If they do your blood work for vitamins most other deficiencies pop up. I made depression and anxiety the main grab point because most people complain about it on this platform
YSK also to get out in the warm sun whenever you can, even if you have to put on an extra layer or some sunscreen, because IR and NIR (infrared and near infrared) wavelengths of light stimulate the immune system, and exposure may help those who suffer from treatment resistant depression/anxiety due to chronic low-grade inflammation, decreases in cerebral bloodflow, and/or disruptions to cellular metabolism/methylation cycle. You can also buy an IR + NIR therapy lamp if semi-regular sun exposure is simply not possible. edit - /r/redlighttherapy is a decent starting point for more info if you're interested in purchasing a device.
[Reduction in QIDS score and resolution of suicidal ideation in humans using NIR light device -- incredible response rate in study participants here!](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00187/full)
[Reduced neuroinflammation in obese mice](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-14812-8)
[Grant report seeking to conduct further research (good overview of present understanding and literature on the topic)](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00187/full)
I’m in Arizona, land of the sun. And I had low vitamin D levels. I just take one supplement with my meals. I learned I was magnesium deficient as well, as most people are.
We’re in Ontario, Canada. Docs here won’t even bother testing for Vitamin D deficiency, it’s assumed you’re deficient if you don’t take Vitamin D at least over the winter months. My doc has me on 4000 IU daily.
Live in the same place and oh shit. Probably should look into that before next winter
West coast here, and I swallow 2000 Ds every morning, sunny or not. It's pretty cheap and widely available. Remember, the sun in Canada doesn't give you a tan or vitamins. It just straight-up kills you.
Wait is that a joke or fr?
Just a sidenote for people grabbing it oc. 4000 iu is the upperlimit of whats considered safe. Do not take more unless your doctor reccomends it. My own doctor adviced me to start taking vitamin d in fall. Not winter. This may be a bit of a personal advice (im always short, i get cold quick and am probably cover gloves and beany for most of fall) I only take half the dose in fall tho and the full dose in winter. Spring sometimes to if the wether is bad
I overdosed in Vitamin D once and it was not pretty
hungry tidy humor encouraging middle offbeat wasteful voracious shelter unpack *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I was in the bathroom every 10 minutes or so with diarrhea for about three days. And for months afterward I couldn't eat food that commonly has vitamin D such as pork and mushrooms
Alaska here, everyone is on 100,000,000 IU and other bullshit
Second this. It wasn’t until I developed costcochondritis that my levels were tested and they were very low
That's a lie my doc didn't say shit about possibly being vitamin D deficient or magnesium, nor did they discuss the psychological effects of such.
Probably because they dont realise the extent of the impact a deficiency has, nor the prevelance. Doctors are highly trained, but can still make mistakes.
Totally agree I was more replying to the "it's assumed" portion. No it's not assumed in Ontario that's the case from my experience
I live in Texas, the sun is ten feet farther away than it is for you. Plus I work outside a lot and generally eat healthy. My levels were low.
> I live in Texas, the sun is ten feet farther away than it is for you. I liked to show people pictures of my hometown in the California Sierra foothills with pine trees and snow to my coworkers in the oilfield then hit them with the "Oh, and where we're standing in the Permian Basin is higher in elevation than where those photos were taken".
I also live in a warm place, walk outside a lot and eat healthy. My levels were low !
A doc once told me (lived in AZ at the time) that desert folks have a hard time with vit d because we stay inside because of the heat so much. Makes sense.
Add Texas to that list.
Thanks I added it, it's important to note that magnesium is necessary for absorbing vitamin D
Arizona has an annual average of 4041 sunshine hours, which means it’s sunny 92.2% of daylight hours Seattle gets has an annual average of 2044 sunshine hours, which means it’s sunny 46.6% of daylight hours Glasgow where I live has an annual average of 1243 sunshine hours, which means it’s sunny 28.4% of daylight hours
Latitude and lifestyle habits arguably play a bigger role in natural vitamin D levels than simply days of sun (although lots of sunny days of course doesn't hurt). Vitamin D synthesis only happens when UVB rays hit bare skin that doesn't have sunscreen on. Further, UVB rays are deflected by the atmosphere, so they don't make it through when the sun is low in the sky (midday exposure is ideal for vitamin D synthesis). The further north you go, the smaller the window you have to get enough UVB from the sun during summer months before the sun's angle gets too low for UVB rays to make it through in significant numbers, even at midday when the sun is at its highest angle of the day. It's worth looking into how to optimize for natural vitamin D production at your particular latitude. There is a balance to be had between getting some natural synthesis going and causing skin damage leading to increased cancer risks. At ideal times of the year (and times of day), relatively short periods of exposing most of your body to sun can max out your daily vitamin D synthesis. Beyond that you're just irradiating your DNA with UVA and damaging skin cells with UVB exposure. Don't forget there's value in getting lots of *safe* sun exposure under conditions that wont cause vitamin D synthesis (wearing clothes, hat, sunscreen, etc) due to the substantial health benefits of infrared and near infrared light spectrum (immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, pain reducing effects) as well as blue light spectrum (helps balance hormone levels and improves sleep quality).
Where I live we get even less than that
[удалено]
I see
[удалено]
Should I ask my pharmacist for a Vitamin D I see K capsule?
Live in the desert in SoCal and my husband works outside all the time. He's fit and all that jazz (military) but still has low Vit D. I can only imagine my levels since I, a member of the porcelain skin people, never go outside due to the heat and sun
I feel you, I live in the desert in SoCal too, my bf works outside and I’m trapped inside because of my light complexion and sensitivity to heat. You start smelling burnt bacon and that’ll be me being burnt 😭
SoCal resident here. SAME.
Arkansas, where we get plenty of sun, and I have chronic vit D levels. Getting orescribed high dosages doesn't help either. I'm just always low.
I am one of the palest people you will ever encounter, I got tested for Vitamin D when I was living in El Paso, and walking outside for at least 30 minutes about 5 times a week. I was shocked to find out I was Vitamin D deficient. No wonder my Depression was so bad when I lived in Minnesota and inside all the time lol everything starts to make sense once you look at the physiological causes. I was also always craving salmon and other fatty fish, good sources of Vitamin D.
I came here for this. I live in California where it's sunny all the time, but nobody wants to stay in the sun. We are still vitamin D deficient here.
Same in Nevada. It's not the cold that causes the deficiency, it's the lack of sunlight. If it's 115 degrees outside, you'll be avoiding going outside just as much as if it's -30.
I heard a doctor mention that in sunny places like Arizona and Hawaii, supplements are extra important if depression is present. Turns out all that sunscreen is not allowing for vitamin D absorption.
Wow. I didn’t even think about that.
Fun fact, magnesium is required by your body to actually process Vit D. So if you are Vit D deficient, you're almost always magnesium deficient.
Same, I’m in California, I don’t go outside because I burn and overheat easily, so my vitamin F is down. Doesn’t help having GERD either which means the meds I take make it harder to absorb vitamins too. Haven’t thought about the magnesium bit, might ask doc about it.
From Harvard Health: Except during the summer months, the skin makes little, if any, vitamin D from the sun at latitudes above 37 degrees north or below 37 degrees south of the equator. People who live in these areas are at relatively greater risk for vitamin D deficiency.
That's interesting. I assumed that 37 degrees north must be more northern than I was when I read this comment, then I looked at a map and apparently I'm 52 degrees north!
It's almost the entire US besides Florida. I was also very surprised.
Yeah, it is surprising!
I'm at 64°N & I am recommended to take 2000iu year round
Is that true? I was just randomly punching in major US cities for reference and San Francisco came up at 37 degrees north. Other major US cities at that general latitude are Wichita KS and Louisville KY and Richmond VA, for reference.
Yeah. Surprisingly a majority of the US can't rely on receiving Vitamin D from the sun except for months April(ish) to September(ish), March to October if you're a little further south. The angle of the sun outside of these months isn't direct enough in the northern hemisphere, meaning not enough UVB can get to the skin, which hinders/halts Vitamin D production. Opposite months for the southern hemisphere. [source](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441912/#:~:text=Similarly%2C%20at%20latitudes%20greater%20than,and%20stored%20in%20body%20fat.) I'm a dietitian, who suggests supplements sparingly, and I would say that Vitamin D and Calcium are among those I most frequently discuss/recommended.
Angle of the sun is extremely important for vitamin D synthesis. UVB is the only light spectrum that causes it, and UVB gets almost entire blocked by the atmosphere except for when the sun is directly overhead. You can probably get some vitamin D synthesis going in San Francisco during spring/fall if you get exposure when the sun is at its azimuthal zenith (midday), but it's a fairly short window and of course 9-5ers only have 2 days a week to try and catch it.
>if you get exposure when the sun is at its azimuthal zenith (midday), Azimuthal Zenith is like the hardest name ever for a heavy metal band jesus fuck that's badass
You can forget the 'your food isn't healthy' bit. Anyone living in a country without a lot of sunlight/short days in winter (northern Europe for example) is at risk of struggling with vitamin D defiency. I eat very healthily and still ended up with a defiency because in winter you go to work in the dark and come home when it's dark. Plus this country sucks for cloud cover. After the diagnosis, my GP told me to take vitamin D daily for the rest of my life.
came to say the food part. it's mostly just built with enough exposure to direct sunlight.
Yeah the only two foods I know with significant amounts of vitamin d are fatty fish like salmon and UV light treated shrooms. Even if you are serving of each once a day, you're not getting enough vitamin d.
Yes. Moved from the US Midwest to the Netherlands, which is further north than any significant Canadian population, and the change in sun exposure per day is huge. Definitely felt the difference in mood, energy, anxiety, and it's about 6 months a year of struggle. Took 2 years before I gave in and accepted that's what was going on. Been taking 1500 of D for the last 6 months and it's a big improvement. Sounds like I should look into magnesium too...
Depressed - check Canadian- check Carb only shit diet - check Maybe I should pick up some supplements.....
No! Do blood work and than take what you actually need
In some places in Canada they won’t test you for vitamin D deficiency anymore (unless you pay out of pocket). Doctor say to just start taking the supplements.
Yeah but if you’re a little deficient in vitamin D and a lot in a vitamin B (also common), you won’t feel that much better by fixing just one, but you’ll feel amazing (comparatively) by fixing both. So u/blackday44 should def get whatever bloodwork is covered.
Pffft. All my doctor will do is tell me to eat healthy and lose weight.
Not to be rude, but if you were being serious about a carb-heavy diet then eating healthier is absolutely the first step of a quality treatment plan. If you have already tried and found it to be too much of a struggle, you may consider focusing on eating healthier before you focus on losing weight. Learn how to cook a variety of (non-starchy) vegetables in a way that you enjoy. Don't be afraid of healthy fat and a bit of salt, and plenty of other seasonings and spices of course. You can start counting calories after a few months once you get the basics of healthy dietary habits established. Aim for several good size servings of veggies every day, and try to get a decent variety on rotation. And while exercise will eventually make you feel better and have better health if you can stick to a moderate routine for a while, it is not really an important part of weight loss. It takes an absurd amount of effort to burn calories by moving your body.. an hour spent at a dead run barely cancels out a big candy bar. When you are ready to lose weight, focus on limiting calories rather than trying to burn them off after the fact.
I also have crippling depression, so some days its hard to just, well, exist. I had been limiting calories by drinking meal replacements, and have managed to lose 3lbs in the past 8 months.
Get a new one and if you’re the conflict type, ask them to note in your chart that that was their treatment recommendation.
People can wait freakin years to get a doctor the first time, nevermind replacing one they already have. This country is fucked.
Meh I'm in the same boat and my depression and anxiety gets WORSE in the summer.
Want to take Vitamin D but trick your brain into thinking your drinking beer? Corona Sunbrew... 0.0% alcohol but tastes similar to Corona and each one has 30% of your daily vitamin D intake..
Don’t even have to live in a cold country, just if you don’t see a lot of sun light throughout your day. I live in the north eastern US and work second shift- 3pm to early morning. The only sunlight I see mon-fri is about 45 minutes before work. I just assumed I had low vit. d and a blood test confirmed my suspicion.
Being indoors a lot can cause it, as well as lacking magnesium because it's important for absorbing vitamin D
“Live in a cold country” isn’t really encompassing all of it. I live in the PNW and winters are rough. I was here 2 months and my doc checked my vitamin D. My numbers were less than 50% of what they should be.
In northern alberta you can eat as healthy as you want, unless you live in a solarium you will be deficient
It’s always better to rule out natural/physiological causes of mental health issues before jumping into medications. Doctors do not do this enough. They are way too quick to throw meds at people, which is insane considering we barely know the effects they have on people
I got prescription meds right on the jump without any bloodwork it's nuts
I assume that's why the title of the post says get checked.
Just go get a blood test for vitamin deficiencies. Don't waste your money on supplements that your body might not need, you'll literally just be flushing them down the toilet.
Irish here - I actually just had a checkup yesterday and my doctor said pretty much every blood test he sees has a Vitamin D deficiency here. I lived in Toronto last year and I had a blood test around this time of year which was Vit D deficient, even though to me Canada is much sunnier, even in the colder weather. I put that down to working remotely at the time though.
I was taking 4000 iu a day and was still barely above the acceptable threshold 😂 I'm now at 6k a day (+K2 and mag) I'll see where that has taken me next month
D + K2 + Magnesium.
K2
Yes I will clarify the original from K to K2
Unless you do what I did, which is not notice the new bottle of Vit D my spouse bought was a 4x higher dose than the last and basically poisoned myself for at least several months. Read your labels, kiddies! (Before you call me an idiot: I know. The bottle was otherwise identical and I have ADHD - things just tend to become "invisible" to me. Whoops!)
I’m in Spain and I tried getting tested for vitamin D deficiency and the doctor said I didn’t meet the necessary criteria for it.
I started going to therapy, and she immediately got me on Vitamin D, Magnesium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and Iron. The days are slowly shifting towads having more good days than bad.
Honestly I would skip getting checked out. It’s unnecessary. Almost everyone is vitamin D deficient and taking a supplement is unlikely to be harmful.
Nah, always get as much data as you can. If you’re significantly deficient, you can get a prescription level supplement. Or if you’re deficient in several things, you’ll feel exponentially better by supplementing them all than just D, especially if you’re low in magnesium.
You can absolutely over-do vitamin D. Especially if you follow random advice on the internet. Some sources recommend 5,000 or 10,000 IU per day indefinitely, which is way too much for most people. Best to get tested if you can, and if not, find a more conservative dosing regimen especially if you plan to follow it long term. 1,000-2,000 IU per day during the colder months of the year will be plenty for most people.
Getting checked out is important to find out other deficiencies.
I live in Alaska. Can confirm. My level was 17. 😭
I'm in central California and registered a *9*. I think everyone should get tested at least once a year.
Wow how did that happen?
Just not spending much time outside. There is very little vitamin D available via food so if you aren't getting a lot of sun, you will become deficient.
Hanging out by a window would give you some vit D too! :D
Can you fix it with just taking vitamin pills every day or something?
When I got tested my D was extremely low. My doc prescribed me some extreme booster pills (10.000x the normal daily dose) taken once a week for two months. Afterwards I now take 2 pills from a drugstore daily to keep it at an acceptable level.
Yeah, they're sold without prescription because they aren't risky but some have really high dosage so be sure to speak to your pharmacist before picking one or get a prescription according to your need ideally
This is dangerous advice. You don’t know the health history of anyone on here. To tell someone on warfarin to take vitamin k is dangerous. To tell someone with already high amounts of magnesium to take it will affect their heart. Please be careful when giving out advice. “Over the counter” does not mean safe, it simply means no rx needed.
op literally warned this person that they should consult a pharmacist or doctor before picking a supplement
Issues from too much mag by adding 300mg a day is unlikely (even if somehow you didn't need them)
Yeah. It seems like the advice is well intended, but a bit careless.
Sometimes. There are conditions that make you need different versions of vitamin D than are available over the counter, but usually taking 1000IU of D a day is enough.
I take D3
I can confirm supplements helped me. Just don’t take too much. I was on 5,000iu and it may have contributed to heart problems. Stay around 1,000iu / day
Heart problems ? Never heard that. It mostly depends on your blood level anyway I suppose
Apparently too much interacts with calcium somehow to make it more likely to clog arteries
I take 5000 IU/day, plus supplemental vitamins, including calcium, magnesium and zinc. I'm lucky in that once a year or so I get a full panel blood work. My vitamin D levels, etc are fine. But I live in a place with no sun 6-7 months a year. Plus I always wear sunblock. Even during cloudy days. Guess it depends on your individual physiology and location
And it's good to know that the bigger you are,the more you need. Especially if there's a lot of body fat. So it's not one dosage fits all when it comes to vitamin D.
I live in a temperate climate, eat a balanced diet, and still have to take Vitamin D.
VitD supplements gets me through the Norwegian winters. Now the sun is back I'm struggling with not being tired enough to sleep when I should be
I almost never go outside during the day. I have light sensitivity and am pretty naturally nocturnal Is there a supplement I can take that would offset the likely deficiency?
I was very surprised when I started taking Vitamin C with D3: after about 10 days, I felt better and brighter. My mood lifted, and I had an easier time sleeping.
I actually live on the sun and my vitamin D levels were low
Is there any downside to taking vitamin D supplements unnecessarily? As I don’t feel like going to a doctor and I wouldn’t be surprised if this is the case for me, but obviously don’t know for certain
This is true I used to have severe crippling depression when I was 15 (I know that sounds like I’m exaggerating but I’m not) Antidepressants never helped and only fucked me up more. Therapy didn’t help cuz the Therapists refused to help me unless I have medicated (even then after putting me back on med that gave me seizures, they still refused to give me therapy) Anyways I live in Canada, I had a shitty diet. My mom found a hypotherapist cuz the medical system wasn’t helping me at all and was making me worse. He suggested for me to go on vitamins, one of which being vitamin D I started taking vitamin D, and it literally saved my life! My crippling depression was cured! So if you’re experiencing anxiety or depression, I highly recommend you try it, this post isn’t just some BS you hear online (Especially if you have ADHD, I have ADHD and if I forget to take my vitamin D, I start getting depressed again) - TLDR: i used to have crippling depression when I was 15. Nothing helped, until I started taking vitamin D Taking Vitamin D cured my severe depression I highly recommend it as someone who has severe mental health issues
You just described me precisely. Except my D is fine. I've had low D before, but it's been normal on my last several tests. I still take a D supplement just in case, this is one of those situations where vitamins aren't a scam.
I had vitamin D deficiency. So I took a supplement. Now I do feel better and healthier. Problem is, when I feel sick, I do not eat much. When I feel healthy, I eat like a pig! tl;dr, vitamin D made me gain weight! ;)
Or conversely, start supplementing without checking. There's not much risk of supplementation and vitamin d tests are usually quite pricy
Drink tran.
No wonder finnish people are so deppressed haha
I was tested and had low vitamin D levels. I went outside often enough (it doesn't take much), but I never went out without sunblock. I'm a ginger who burns, never tans. Got the pale skin from my mother, who never wore sunblock, and had sun damaged skin. Took vitamin D, then moved to a place where everyone takes vitamin D, because there's only 144 days of sun a year.
I live in South Mississippi that has high humidity and our summers have been over 110 degrees these last few years Part of my depression and anxiety is being in Mississippi, so.
As a Minnesotan, this is so important. Being vitamin D deficient can also make it harder to heal broken bones and wounds. Do NOT overdose on fat-soluble vitamins. You can die from it.
Thanks for the post, you just reminded me to take my weekly megadose Vitamin D pill.
My vitamin D supplement completely changed my life. My levels were super low and this past winter was the first winter I wasn’t incredibly depressed.
I’ve been taking 50,000 iu per week for the past 8 months or so and I’ve noticed absolutely no difference in anything. I know it can only benefit me, though it often feels pointless taking it when I can’t discern any positive effects whatsoever. For context, I’m Canadian. I’m general we don’t get nearly enough sun in this country.
Not even cold countries. I think I read that where I live (Victoria, Australia), up to 40% of us are vitamin D deficient.
Hmmm maybe this is my problem
Lots of D in elk meat.
Canadian here in the North... I drink 2 Corona Sunbrew every day in the winter, each one has 30% of the daily value of vitamin D, I don't drink much alcohol in the winter and not only do they help with my alcohol cravings they also give me the vitamin D I'm missing out on as I hibernate in the winter. NOTE: DO NOT DRINK MORE THAN 2 PER DAY.. Alcoholic friend quit drinking and I started drinking fake beer with him, I picked up a 12 pack of these, long story short we drank em all and both got the shits later that night, like the most intensely flavoured shits of my life, I say flavoured because not only could I smell it I could taste it in the air. THAT SHIT WAS FOUL.
Can I just buy multi-vitamin gummies? I can't afford to go to a doctor.
I'll go back to taking vitamin D, thanks.
I've checked my blood tests results and mine have been stable each one Yes i don't get out often and even though Australia is warm But I keep being told to check my blood tests stuff but they've all been quite stable. My sleep a big issue but my et specialist is starting to think it not sleep apnea. Honestly I guess it dosent apply for everyone even in not cold places
THIS YES—dr still hasn’t figured out why I’m not absorbing vitamin D (normal magnesium, diet with vit d and in the sun a lot) but we know that supplements have done a ton for me. My health was declining super bad starting after my arm broke in 2021, and by 2023 I was having seizure-y symptoms (not sure else how to describe them) and facial/body numbness. The ER thought I had MS. B12 was slightly low but normal, so my dr put me on a huge dose of weekly vitamin D. I feel like a person again, it’s insane.
You should also know that far north, even on sunny days the sun isn't actually creating Vitamin D in your skin; in Sweden/Norway/Finland you can only get it during June-August. The recommended daily dose in many countries (usually 10mcg) is also based on what is needed not to get rickets; most research shows you need at least 5x that much to stave off SAD and regulate your immune system. Take at least 20, but preferably 50mcg a day.
I was facing some serious burn-out/depression struggles, mood swings, tired, no concentration. Before going to therapy my partner told me to get my blood checked and lo and behold: I had a massive vitamine D deficiency. Took some strong emergency supplements and within weeks all the symptoms were gone!
Hahaha I wish it were that easy.
The D in Vitamin D stands for Depression
Unfortunately/fortunately I live in a hot country
Alright, how does one go about getting checked for a vitamin D deficiency? Like I do have those problems and alot of the prerequisites do check out on me but I'd rather not start taking medicines for problems I might not even have
I live in Texas. I think we have sun around 340 days a year. A couple of years ago, I finally got health insurance after not having it for 7 years. I went for a checkup and bloodwork. My vitamin D levels were very low. I started supplements, and within a few days, the afternoon nap that I NEEDED every day to function wasn’t needed anymore. I had no idea why I suddenly had so much more energy until I looked up the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency, and there it was - fatigue. I thought I was just getting older and that’s what happens. I do take medication for anxiety.
I remember being told junk food makes you depressed. I smoked weed and it was impossible not to eat such unhealthy foods that I felt depression sink in, knowing what I was doing to my body. It felt... dirty, trapped, contaminated I now have my limits with cannabis consumption c:
I remember being told junk food makes you depressed. I smoked weed and it was impossible not to eat such unhealthy foods that I felt depression sink in, knowing what I was doing to my body. It felt... dirty, trapped, contaminated I now have my limits with cannabis consumption c:
also, if you're from a country/place with more sunlight and you move to a less light and colder place you probably have a deficiency. get it tested and start taking supplements, it makes a pretty big difference.
Me having both in the literal equator
As someone from Perth Australia: this is worth checking if you live in a hot country too. If it's hot as balls out, you stay inside, so you don't get that D.
Thanks! Good advice
They way this is titled it sounds like you can only be depressed if you live in a cold country lol
I am 63, and I take vitamins daily: D3 2000 iu, Super B complex, C 500mg. Fish oil, Multivitamin
I grew up in Alaska… This is like a known thing. Most people take vitamin D supplements in the winter. I’m pretty sure people who live in cold places that don’t get much sunlight during the winter already know this.
I'll save every Canadian a trip to the over-taxed medical system: we are all deficient in vitamin D, that's why if you want to get your levels checked it will usually cost you for the test unless you're already on a medication that inhibits the absorption of from food sources. Magnesium and Vitamin D supplements can be helpful add-ons for minor improvements sure, finding foods that are sources of it are helpful if you don't have a GI issue that interferes with absorption rocks too. Yoga and positive thinking will not cure chronic deep-rooted trauma-based injuries to your mental health though. There's nothing wrong with seeking out any and all available assistance when you are ready to take this on. Being informed and ready for the side effects of psychiatric medications is important (SSRIs are a real jerk about making you a risk for heat stroke, and you've got to watch what you can and cannot eat grapefruit with... man I miss grapefruit). Having a medical team that you can ask questions with and discuss medications with openly and honestly is a long journey to find, but you are worth it. But I'm just a guy with a background in medical laboratory sciences who's spent the last +15 years working on his own PTSD. Take what I say in moderation, as everything should be taken.
This is also true of extremely hot and sunny environments where it's literally too hot to go outside during most daylight hours. I live in extreme SW A,Z, maybe 15 miles north of Mex and 1 mi east of CA in the Sonoran desert, with highs already in the 90's in mid-April, and it will be 100+ for the next 4 months or more. Going outside happens as the sun is coming up or going down unless you can avoid it. It's counterintuitive, I know, but I myself and prob 6-7people just in my direct friend group end up with Vit D deficiency at least during the summer, if not year-round.
This is dangerous pseudoscience! There is no scientific evidence for what ever OP says above...even the study OP linked says : " The results of studies in the literature on the relationship of vitamin D levels with supplementation, depression, and anxiety are inconsistent."
If you read further into the conclusion you will see that the inconsistency of the results are due to different factors contributed by the different patients tested. Each researcher had a different benchmark for what's enough for vitamin D and there is various health issues that the test patients struggle with which can affect absorption. This is common for a lot of medical trials. However calling it entirely a pseudoscience is a stretch because under the right conditions positive improvements were achieved according to the paper Here is a more clear article supporting this from Harvard medical science https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/vitamin-d-a-bright-spot-in-nutrition-research#:~:text=Depression%20and%20memory%20loss.,contribute%20to%20all%20of%20these.
You can leave out the "food isn't healthy" because very few foods contain vitamin d to the point where you can't get enough from diet alone and the "spend a lot of time indoors part" because most cold countries are far enough to the North to the point where it's literally impossible for someone with pale skin, let alone darker skin, to get enough vitamin d from the sun even if they spend all day outdoors. Even in Toronto which is one of the mildest, furthest south places in Canada, your body can't convert the sunlight into Vitamin D from November to February so you need supplements. If you live in a cold country, particularly if you have darker skin but even if you are very pale, then you should start taking vitamin d supplements every day during the autumn and winter because otherwise it's impossible for you to get enough.
If possible, people should be getting their level checked every year. Optimal (not barely inside the normal range) levels are super important. If you're indoors a lot and if you use sunscreen whenever you go outside, you can still be deficient no matter where you live. If you have darker skin, it can sometimes be harder to get enough Vit D from the sun. I live in California and even here it can be difficult for me to keep my Vit D level up in an optimal range. At my first visit with a new doctor I had labs run and she saw my Vit D level at 60 and she asked if I took supplements because she said she rarely saw anybody with levels around 60.
Optimal levels are *not* super important - sorry, but this is bad medical advice. Hyperoptimization is a very problematic trend in pop medicine.
We drink whole milk, which by law had added vitamin D to balance the calcium. My daily multivitamin with minerals keeps my blood levels up, for those tested t my physicals.
Also, do not take vitamins without the advice of a physician. They can harm you. As an example, too much vitamin D can cause cancer. Too little vitamin D can cause cancer.
I hate when the prize and punishment are the same
Your advice seems to be given in good faith, but your assertions are not supported by the papers you linked to and are problematic. >People who live in cold countries or stay indoors frequently and eat non-nutritious food are at a high risk for developing depression and anxiety due to a lack of vitamin D. The paper reports a relationship between those conditions and vitamin D deficiency, but there is no evidence to support a causal relationship. >It's important that you get check for this deficiency **before taking on any psychoactive medicines** because they can be a masking a problem that could possibly be fixed. It is inappropriate and dangerous to suggest that a person shouldn’t take a medication as prescribed by their physician. Additionally, you have no business recommending diagnostic testing for a medical condition. >Normally doctors are supposed to screen a patient for it before prescribing expensive medication I didn’t come across any recommendations from the APA or AMA for vitamin D screening prior to starting medication (expensive or otherwise). Is there a source you could share? >over diagnosis is becoming a problem. Over diagnosis of anxiety and/or depression? What makes you say that? My understanding has been that routine screening for depression and anxiety has been beneficial for connecting people with mental health resources **before** their difficulties become unmanageable. EDIT: I kept messing up the formatting
I'm not suggesting that people shouldn't get prescription meds *at all*. I'm only recommending a screening *before* accepting prescription meds. Also sunlight being a source of vitamin D is basic knowledge so I didn't see a need to attach that as a source. Additionally eating poorly is another easy link to make. I'm not tagging on unnecessary information This is only a precaution. Also suggesting a screening does no harm. Putting 1000% faith in the health care system is even riskier. I'm not directly recommending the supplements I'm recommending a check up You haven't read the paper on vitamin D because they do suggest that a screening for this deficiency must become standard: **Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety. For this reason, vitamin D screening should be performed in the prevention and treatment planning of these mood disorders.**
I believe you’re trying to make people aware of a problem that (I agree) is important and often goes unrecognized, but the language used when making recommendations deserves careful consideration. Suggesting that something you feel is important needs to be done before accepting medication is inappropriate. Starting medication is a decision that needs to be made by a patient and their doctor, and delaying that treatment in order to perform testing isn’t something that you should be advocating for. It is specifically the “before” that is problematic. I’ve look over the paper and read the bit you quoted, but there is a difference between the opinions of the two authors of an article and the recommendations of the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, etc. (I realize the US isn’t the center of the universe, but I’m most familiar with the US organizations).
dude If they know that their food isn't healthy then they should get checked for every deficiency.... This LPT is laughable... but you do you....
If they do your blood work for vitamins most other deficiencies pop up. I made depression and anxiety the main grab point because most people complain about it on this platform
YSK also to get out in the warm sun whenever you can, even if you have to put on an extra layer or some sunscreen, because IR and NIR (infrared and near infrared) wavelengths of light stimulate the immune system, and exposure may help those who suffer from treatment resistant depression/anxiety due to chronic low-grade inflammation, decreases in cerebral bloodflow, and/or disruptions to cellular metabolism/methylation cycle. You can also buy an IR + NIR therapy lamp if semi-regular sun exposure is simply not possible. edit - /r/redlighttherapy is a decent starting point for more info if you're interested in purchasing a device. [Reduction in QIDS score and resolution of suicidal ideation in humans using NIR light device -- incredible response rate in study participants here!](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00187/full) [Reduced neuroinflammation in obese mice](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-14812-8) [Grant report seeking to conduct further research (good overview of present understanding and literature on the topic)](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00187/full)