How Much Vitamin D Should You Take For Optimal Health
Adda Bjarnadottir, MS, RDN Jared Meacham, Ph.D., RD, PMP, MBA, CSCS
Vitamin D is essential for good health.
Its often referred to as the sunshine vitamin and is made in your skin when exposed to sunlight.
Despite that, vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world.
Up to 42% of the American adult population has low vitamin D levels, which can cause health problems (
Vitamin D is crucial for bone health and immune system function.
This article discusses how much vitamin D you need.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin thats involved in many essential body functions.
There are two forms of vitamin D in the diet and supplements:
- Vitamin D2 : found in some mushrooms.
- Vitamin D3 : found in oily fish, fish liver oil, and egg yolks.
D3 is the more powerful of the two types and raises vitamin D levels almost twice as much as D2 .
Significant amounts of vitamin D can also be made in your skin when exposed to UV rays from sunlight. Any excess vitamin D is stored in your body fat for later use.
Almost every cell in your body has a receptor for vitamin D. Its essential to many processes, including bone health, immune system function, and can help protect against cancer (
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Depression & Anxiety Are They The Same
Depression and anxiety are two different but go hand in hand. Depression is a state where a person is mentally unstable, with sadness, loneliness, and bad mental health. Anxiety, on the other side, is a condition where a person gets worried and annoyed about every small situation.
Research shows that more than 75% of case studies have anxiety traces with depression.
Although they have similar symptoms in ones mental health. For example-
- Bad concentration
- Uncontrollable emotions
Such situations can be treated by medications, therapy, and connecting with people. If you possess such symptoms, then make sure to consult a medical professional with adequate treatment facilities. Moreover, those medicines should be medically reviewed.
Impact Of Vitamin D Deficiency On Mental Health
The body needs Vitamin D at the proper level for it to function as it should.
How Vitamin D Works In The Body
Your muscles, heart, brain, and immune system have vitamin D receptors. The body transports the vitamin to the kidneys and liver, where it converts into an active hormone. In this form, it assists the body in absorbing calcium.
Your body acquires vitamin D through sun exposure. Certain foods and supplements can also be sources of vitamin D. Dark-skinned people have a high level of melanin.
Itâs the component that determines coloring in the human and animal world. This pigmentation prevents the skin from absorbing vitamin D correctly.
How Vitamin D Deficiency Leads to Mental Health Effects
Low levels of the vitamin may contribute to schizophrenia in adults, depression, and seasonal affective disorder. Other health problems that can arise from the deficiency include:
- Low bone density
- Excessive weight loss or gain
- Trouble sleepingââ
If you experience any of these symptoms similar to depression, have your vitamin D levels checked. Your doctor will do a test to determine the level of the vitamin in your blood.
For depression diagnosis, you may have to complete a self-assessment test. A blood test can’t diagnose depression but may test other conditions that cause depressive symptoms.
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Best Vitamins For Depression: Causes And Situations
Did you know? According to recent studies, around 251-310 million people suffer from depression. Yes, indeed, depression is now becoming a part of our lives gradually.
But the thing is do people effectively treat depression?
Are they taking appropriate measures? This could be just a question, but indeed being a significant cause of death for millions of people every year.
So, what exactly is depression? Mental Health? And, how is it affecting our lives? Can vitamins for depression help us?
Well, depression is a condition where a person suffers from low mood disorders and poor mental health. A depressed person can be identified with anxiety, low mood, sadness, bad temper, isolated in their environment. Moderate depression and severe can both be dangerous if not treated on time.
Talking forward, lets begin with the ins and outs of vitamins for depression and ways to mitigate it.
How Can You Get Enough Vitamin D In The Winter
During winter, many people spend more time indoors, and it gets dark earlier in the day.
Additionally, people are more bundled up when theyre outside, so less skin is exposed to the sunlight. This can lead to inadequate vitamin D levels through the winter for some people.
This may also be one factor that plays into seasonal affective disorder , a type of depression that typically occurs only during the winter months .
However, there are several ways to get more vitamin D during the winter:
- Supplements. Taking a vitamin D supplement throughout the winter can help maintain your blood vitamin D levels even if you get less sun exposure.
- Vitamin D foods. You can also choose more vitamin D-rich foods during the winter, such as vitamin-D fortified dairy or plant-based milk, fish like trout or salmon, or UV-exposed mushrooms (
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No Clear Cause And Effect
When referring to studies that have found a significant association between low blood levels of vitamin D and depression, including those that have demonstrated a reduction in depression after vitamin D supplementation, scientists are careful to stress that correlation does not equal causation. In other words, having low levels of vitamin D along with depression does not necessarily mean the low levels of the vitamin caused the depression or that supplementation eased it.
So, what might cause depression in someone whose vitamin D levels are low, if not the lack of D itself? The potential culprits are numerous. Lack of physical activity might be a factor. In one 2008 study of 441 overweight and obese participants, those with blood levels of vitamin D below 40 nmol/L at the beginning of the study were significantly more likely to have depressive traits at one year than those with blood levels of 40 nmol/L and higher.
When given a high level of supplementation with vitamin D, both groups reported a decrease in depressive symptoms compared with a placebo group. The studys authors said that while its possible vitamin D supplementation eased the subjects depression, they couldnt rule out that varying levels of among the subjects could have affected results.
Being overweight on its own also may be a risk factor for depression, Dr. Okereke points out, noting that obesity, with its inflammatory properties, might interfere with absorption of vitamin D into the system.
Assessment And Groups At Risk For Low Vitamin D
The signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency vary depending on the age and severity. For children, there has been a reappearance of rickets from vitamin D deficiency. Symptoms of rickets can vary and may include bone pain, delayed tooth eruption, and poor growth . Deficient adults may experience muscle weakness, bone pain, difficulty walking, and frequent falls . Persons more at risk for vitamin D include those with malabsorption syndromes such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and chronic diarrhea .
Other factors may influence the availability and metabolism of this nutrient. Thus, various population groups have been identified as high risk for vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency. Those with limited sun exposure, due to being homebound, living in latitudes > 34° north or south, and/or clothing that covers most of the body, are at risk for vitamin D deficiency . Similarly, older adults are often at risk of vitamin D inadequacy. This is due to reduced subcutaneous production and intestinal absorption . When coupled with limited sun exposure, which is the case for many older adults, the risk increases .
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When Combined With Evidence
Depression is a mood disorder, and its one of the most common mental health conditions that people experience. Different terms used to refer to depression include major depressive disorder and clinical depression. While many people require clinical treatment and perhaps pharmaceutical medications to treat the symptoms of depression, there are also certain vitamins that can be helpful for depression. Along with vitamins for depression, there are also natural supplements for anxiety and depression that can be helpful for treating symptoms of these co-occurring disorders.
Symptoms of depression include significant changes in feelings, thoughts and behaviors, including loss of interest in activities that a person previously enjoyed and an ongoing, persistent feeling of sadness. Depending on the severity of the depression, a person may experience different physical and emotional problems related to the disorder.
How Does It Work
Vitamin D receptors can be found pretty much everywhere in the human body, so the ways in which vitamin D might affect your mood are innumerable. One of those mechanisms could be hormonal, since vitamin D helps regulate testosterone levels and since low testosterone can impair the mood of men and women.
We should remember, however, that correlation is not causation. The observational data, we said, suggests a correlation between depression and low levels of vitamin D, but that doesnt mean that low levels of vitamin D cause the depression. It might be that depressed people go outside less, thus getting less sunlight, thus producing less vitamin D: the depression would then be the cause of the low vitamin D levels, rather than its consequence.
Even if depression is a consequence, not a cause, it doesnt mean that low levels of vitamin D arent also a consequence. People who go outside less get less sunlight but also probably less exercise and we know that exercise benefits mood, both directly and .
The findings on vitamin D are less consistent. One study found an association between depression and seasonal changes in vitamin D, but another study found no effect of supplemental vitamin D on SAD. And compounding the uncertainty, the researchers of both studies stressed that potential confounders were numerous.
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If Youre Considering Self
You can access free support right away with these resources:
- The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call the Lifeline at 800-273-8255 for English or 888-628-9454 for Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- The Crisis Text Line. Text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
- The Trevor Project. LGBTQIA+ and under 25 years old? Call 866-488-7386, text START to 678678, or chat online 24-7.
- Veterans Crisis Line. Call 800-273-8255, text 838255, or chat online 24/7.
- Deaf Crisis Line. Call 321-800-DEAF or text HAND at 839863.
- Befrienders Worldwide. This international crisis helpline network can help you find a local helpline.
Best For Children: Mama Bear Organic Kids Vitamin D3
These vitamins come in a gummy form in strawberry, orange and lemon flavors. Each gummy contains 25 mcg per serving and is suitable for vegetarians.
As a flavored gummy, this product may be best suited for children. However, adults who find capsules difficult to swallow may also find these gummies suitable.
Pros and cons
Some advantages of this product include:
- comes in an easy-to-eat form
- flavored with organic ingredients
- allergy-friendly
However, it is not suitable for vegans.
Price: At the time of publishing, one bottle of Mama Bear Organic Kids Vitamin D3 costs $14.18.
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Solar Essence Vitamin D3 + K2
Nuzenas formula offers a healthy dosage of Vitamin D3, while their formula also includes vitamin K2, calcium and bioperine.
One thing we are pleased to see is the inclusion of Bioperine, a natural stimulant that aids the absorption of nutrients and benefits the bodys metabolism.
We were impressed by Nuzena, who offer a wide range of products that cater for all dietary needs. Providing natural formulas, which are non-GMO, gluten free, vegan-friendly and also produced in FDA registered facilities ensuring quality certification.
Solar Essence Vitamin D3 by Nuzena takes a solid top-3 spot for the best Vitamin D3 supplement.
Best For Most Dietary Requirements: Persona Vitamin D 1000 Iu
Persona uses vitamin D3 sourced from Vitashine. This is a plant-based form of the vitamin.
Each tablet contains 25 mcg of vitamin D3. The product is free from major allergens, including soy, dairy, wheat, fish, nuts, eggs, and shellfish.
Persona claims that its vitamins are tested for quality and purity and inspected by a professional before shipping.
The company recommends taking one gelatin capsule per day.
Pros and cons
Some advantages of this product are:
- its suitability for many dietary requirements
- the relative ease of swallowing gelatin capsules
- the companys testing for quality and purity
Persona states that there is no subscription cost for its service. Customers only pay for the products they order. Costs will vary between users as their recommendations will be individual to them.
Price: Each Vitamin D 1000 IU capsule costs $0.06. The price of a persons order may vary depending on the supplements Persona recommends.
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Who Suffers From Depression
Whether youre feeling a little blue or are unable to get out of bed in the morning, youre not alone. Depression is a major public health issue worldwide, impacting more than 264 million people, according to the World Health Organization.
In the U.S., the statistics are just as staggering. The governments National Institute of Mental Health says that more than 17 million U.S. adultsover 7% of all adultshad at least one major depressive episode in 2017. For adult women, the prevalence of major depressive episode was nearly 9% versus just over 5% for men. Those individuals in the 18-25 age range experienced the highest level of a major depressive episode.
And thats not even taking into account mild or moderate depression.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites these 2019 statistics from the National Health Interview Survey:
And those statistics are prior to COVID-19. According to one study published in September 2020 in JAMA, depression symptoms in the U.S. tripled during COVID-19 compared to prior to the pandemic.
A new report from Mental Health America , a community-based non-profit organization, claims over 47 million American adults experience mental illness, ranging from mild to serious, with 57% of those adults not receiving treatment.
Here are few more key findings from the MHA report.
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Other Possible Causes Of Depression
Is your blood sugar under control and Fat Storing Hormone function just fine? Then there may be something else at the root of your mood problems.
Brain function and mental health are dependent on many nutrients. And deficiencies in different areas can take a toll on your nervous system.
Consider these other common causes if you are still suffering.
- Deficiency in vitamin B12.
- Low intake of omega-3 fatty acids.
- High levels of cortisol.
Learn more about these common causes in this video. Making sure you get enough vitamins and nutrients is key. That can help prevent symptoms of mental illness and get you feeling more like yourself.
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Who Lacks Vitamin D
Vitamin D insufficiency, defined as blood levels inferior or equal to 20 ng/mL, may affect as much as 50% of the population worldwide, including 41.6% of Americans. Unsurprisingly, low levels are especially common in Americans with darker skin, notably blacks and Hispanics .
More surprisingly, it appears that even people who live in countries with sunlight year round often dont produce enough vitamin D. This is probably due, at least in part, to most people now working indoors, leaving little skin exposed when venturing outside, and sometimes also using sunscreen.
So it seems that the only way to know for sure if your vitamin D levels are sufficient is to undergo a 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test. Assessing your vitamin D levels twice in a year in midsummer and midwinter, when there is the most and least sunlight is an efficient way of estimating what your levels are around the year.
In Canada and the United States, the Recommended Daily Allowance for vitamin D falls between 400 and 800 IU . These amounts, which some researchers criticize as inadequate, can be obtained naturally from only a few food sources, notably fatty fish . However, in Canada and the United States, milk is often fortified with vitamin D.
Since few foods are rich in vitamin D, supplementation is a valid option. Should your blood test show that your vitamin D levels are low, start supplementing with 2,000 IU/day , then get tested again after a couple of months.
Natural Antidepressants: Best Vitamins For Energy And Depression
Ample evidence suggests that B vitamins can help with depression. B vitamins control and produce important chemicals in your brain that impact depression and mood regulation. As Healthline explains: folate , B12, and B6, are needed for the production and regulation of neurotransmitters like serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid , and dopamine. Further, research suggests that deficiencies in these vitamins may increase the risk of depression, and that treatment with folate and/or vitamin B12 reduces depression scale scores, increases remission, and prevents the onset of clinically significant symptoms of depression in people at risk.
So when youre looking for vitamins that help with depression, B vitamins are well worth discussing with your provider.
Zinc is a naturally occurring mineral that, in the words of Healthline, is critical to brain health and the regulation of neurotransmitter pathways. It also boasts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. More importantly, it is a mineral that has been closely linked to depression.
Dr. Emily Deans, in Psychology Today, has tracked research on the relationship between Zinc and depression. Some key findings include:
The more depressed someone is, the lower the zinc level.
Zinc supplementation has been shown to have antidepressant effects in humans.
Successful treatment with antidepressants will increase serum zinc levels.
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