Vitamin D deficiency and depression

I have suffered from mild depression to severe depression for a good 25 years. Over the last couple of years, my meds seemed to have stopped working so I decided to check in to holistic supplements and other alternative treatments. I was fortunate enough to run into a doctor working in a local natural health pharamacy. Told her the quick version of my story and what I was looking for. She asked me if I had ever had my Vitamin D levels checked. She told me that if Vit D levels are deficient, depression meds or supplements are not going to be of any help.

I sat on that info for a bit, did some research and then finally decided to go to the Doc and get my Vit D levels checked. Sure enough, my levels were really low. I started taking Vit D tabs about a month ago. Unfortunately, it takes a few months for the Vit D to kick in so I don't know yet how helpful this will be. Sometimes I think I can feel a slight shift in my mood change, but it's really too early to tell.

Anyone else had an experience with Vit D? Helpful or no?

I wonder how many of us in this forum may have a Vit D deficiency affecting our mental health. Here's a good link to check it all out: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...n-d-deficiency

My vitamin D levels are low. I have autoimmune arthritis and my rheumatologist checks the levels a couple of times a year. Supplements don't seem to help, except maybe one called Replesta. I was taking it right before the last time I got a blood test and my levels went up to the very lowest normal amount.

I don't know if the low vitamin D is making my depression worse or not. It has been low for about 7 years now (always since they started checking it.) I am continuing to try to get it to normal, because low vitamin D is linked with all kinds of health problems.

I hope your levels increase and that it helps you to feel better.

I do have low vitamin d level and depression. When i had psychiatrist 3 years ago he told me. I don't know if it helped as i was on meds. I take it once in a while when i remember to take vitamins. I am not on meds anymore. I still don't know if it helps.

About a year or so ago, I had my Vitamin D levels checked and they were very low. My Dr. prescribed something like 80,000 IU (I could be mistaken) once a week for 8 weeks. She said it would give me more energy. She told me that most people, especially in the Northeast, are Vitamin D deficient. I am now taking 5000-10000 IU daily and, for the life of me, I cannot tell if it is working. On top of that, I also take magnesium glycinate and a multivitamin. Now I am trying juicing fruits and vegetables, and superfood powders, and I'm not sure if that is helping either. This is like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.

I'm on meds, and take a vitamin D supplement 1000 IUD's daily. It definitely improves my mood. I originally started taking it with calcium supplement to improve calcium absorbption.

Hi Allheart,

I was low and taking a supplement helped.

I understand that actually most of the population is vitamin D deficient!

- vital

Blood tests should be the first thing they do when potentially diagnosing mental illness, why was it not picked up before starting on meds that have now possibly done permanent damage to you? My levels have been constantly checked over the years, its only now they have started to drop slightly and that is because I no longer work outside, the drop is not significant enough to take a supplement.

Good luck with the vitamin D. I hope it helps you.

I just had my vitamin D Levels done. It's supposed to be somewhere between 30 and 50. Mine was 7. Oops!
Off to buy vitamin D supplements.

In addition to vitamin supplements, don't forget that sunshine is an excellent source of Vitamin D! Go out and get some sunshine - it's also a great treatment for depression.

I'm currently taking about 2,000 IU of vitamin d as part of my supplementation regimen. I haven't had my levels checked lately, but I don't really feel any different in regards to my depression and energy levels.

When you buy the ones you need to buy the gel capsules ones, as they work and absorb better then the pills-- you can take up to 4,000 IU a day. You can have the doctors prescribe you Vim D3, as well, and he will give you a horse pill to add to it once a week of 50,000 IU for a course of 5 weeks, that should boost your Vim D up to speed. As well, if you can try to get your insurance to pay for Vim D infusions -- you can boost it up in a few weeks time (1-2 infusions) as the IV infusions can give what they say 8x the amount as the pill version in a maga boost.

Does anyone think it is interesting that there are so many people with Vitamin D deficiency now?
Years ago, you never heard of anyone with Vitamin D deficiency.
I was tested and my level was 3. I was told that I have to be above 30 and given a prescription for once a week dose.
The ironic thing is that part of my job keeps me outside during the day... so I have lots of sun exposure. Makes me wonder.

Just be careful and take normal dosages. Overdosing vit D is bad, it is not water soluble and the body cannot get rid of excess.

I have been vitamin D deficient in the past. I take liquid vitamin D drops as I wasn't absorbing even the gel caps well. It didn't affect my emotional health directly. However, I was having a lot of joint and muscle pains which improved tremendously when I optimized my levels

Ancient, do you mind if I ask what brand of liquid drops you use? I have tried several different brands of vitamin D3 gelcaps, capsules, and tablets and even Drisdrol, the high-strength prescription supplement, but my body doesn't seem to absorb it. My levels seem to be stuck around 15 er....units.

Low Vitamin D levels is associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It comes from lack of sunlight. Hence it's felt worse by people who don't work near windows and those that live north enough that the days grow shorter during winter time.

One of the best things you can do to raise your D levels and combat SAD is to use a therapy lamp with atleast 10,000units. It just takes a 1/2hr a day. It improves vitamin D levels, reduces depression, aids in an improved sleep, pattern amongst other positive effects.

I have taken D but have found immediate improvement with my lamp.

I'll look it up at home and get back to you

jo_thorne: I use Micro D3 from Advanced M.E.D.S technology

I took high dose vit d for deficiency and saw a radical shift in my moods.

I read that people with low vitamin D deficiencies sometimes also have an issue processing vitamin B as well. I talked to my psychiatrist about this and got a prescription for Deplin (L-methylfolate) it seemed to help a lot. But it's not cheap.

I am not sure if I am low in vitamin D or not. I just started today to fish oils and vitamin D combo pill, along with a multivitamin. I am going to start taking iron supplements because I was told previously I had low iron, but I don't know if I do still. I have been taking this cereal that has 50% of daily iron and I have two servings a day (Mini Wheats). So... it may take a while for my body to adjust to the fish oil and vitamin D stuff.

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