I continue to marvel at the never-ending good news on vitamin D. Now evidence suggests that vitamin D can help fight depression and anxiety.
Researchers conducted the study in the UK, where vitamin D deficiency is rampant. Those patients with vitamin D deficiency had higher scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scores. But those with normal vitamin D levels scored much lower.
This doesn't surprise me. We've long known that some people become depressed when they don't get enough sunlight (this is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder). Well, sunlight is a source of vitamin D. In fact, spending several hours outside can produce as much as 10,000 IUs of the vitamin. So it makes sense that a vitamin D supplement would help with depression.
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Action to take: If you have depression or anxiety, ask your doctor to check your vitamin D level. If he tells you you're well within the usual reference range, you still may be deficient. Conventional medicine's reference range is far from my ideal levels. I like your level around 45-50 ng/ml or 115-128 nmol/l.
If your levels are low, take a vitamin D3 supplement or cod liver oil (4,000 IU daily). I also suggest common-sense exposure to sunlight. Just don't burn your skin.
I've always said that the likely cause of depression isn't drugs. It's probably disordered brain biochemistry, caused by nutritional deficiencies, toxins, and other factors.
Ref: Clin Rheumatol., 2006 Jul 19