There are a variety of physical, emotional, and mental consequences that can come from being deficient in vitamin D. This is one of the most important and vital nutrients that your body needs in order to sustain overall health and wellness, so making sure that you get enough of it from your diet, exposure to sunlight, and from high quality vitamin D tablets, is an integral component to your plan for maintaining long term health.
To learn more about the psychological consequences of a vitamin D deficiency, keep reading. You may be surprised by how your mind can be affected by a lack of vitamin D.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Depression
Studies have found that reduced levels of vitamin D in the body can lead to symptoms that are associated with minor and major depression, including in individuals who are 65 and older. Individuals who took high doses of a vitamin D supplement, however, were able to see an improvement in their symptoms after just a couple of months.
In other words, if you develop a vitamin D deficiency because you aren’t eating enough foods that contain this vitamin, don’t spend enough time outdoors, or you are not taking a supplement, you could start suffering from depression. If you want to prevent low mood or you are currently suffering with depression symptoms, consider taking a vitamin D supplement to see if your symptoms improve.
Vitamin D and Unhappiness
Even if you are not clinically depressed, if you are feeling down lately and you can’t really determine why, you may be suffering from a vitamin D deficiency. Many people who live in colder climates or in areas where the amount of daylight is limited during the winter season may experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), but this can be helped by getting enough vitamin D.
It might be worth talking to your doctor, having your blood test done to determine your vitamin D level, and then discussing ways that you can increase your vitamin D level easily. For example, in addition to taking a supplement, you can also spend a few minutes in the sun every day, as that will prompt your body to produce vitamin D naturally.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Psychiatric Illness
Research has also shown that more than half of all of the psychiatric inpatients in the United States do not have adequate levels of vitamin D in their blood. More literature is also finding associations between psychiatric illnesses and vitamin D deficiency.
Similar research results were found in the United Kingdom, where it was determined that lower levels of vitamin D in the blood was common in a psychiatric inpatient facility.
As you can see, there is plenty of research that already proves the importance of maintaining enough vitamin D in your blood. Have your blood tested at least annually in order to determine what your vitamin D level is, and take a supplement if it is found that you are deficient in this key nutrient for mental and physical wellbeing.
