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Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#61

Post by pram »

supertofu wrote: post #60
AnthonBerg wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sunlight’s effects on body chemistry also have a damping effect on inflammation. It’s a funny thing. Sunlight has an impact on many chemical processes in and on the body. One example: Our skin is coated with a bunch of chemicals. There’s a number of different acidic chemicals. These are known as the “acid mantle”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_mantle One of these substances is urocanic acid . The body manufactur…

Anecdata: I grew up in LA. I was always relatively healthy. Moved to NYC. Developed autoimmune disease by my 6th year in NYC. I often wonder if I would have developed the disease if I had stayed in LA.

I think changing location does have a huge effect. Personally when I go to LA or SF (from Texas) I get sick 100% of the time, without fail.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#62

Post by LinuxBender »

tomatowurst wrote: post #8
carabiner wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in Seattle and have been depressed for a while. I had my Vitamin D3 levels checked via blood test, and they were really low. Started taking 5,000 IU per day, and I feel exactly the same as before.

5000 IU is really too much. At best 2000, 2500 IU is good.

I use 60,000 to 90,000 IU's per day and have been doing so for years. The most I have taken in a 24 hour period is 140,000 IU's. There is no way I could have started off at those levels however. It would have induced major hypercalcemia had I done that prior to mobilizing all the stored/misplaced calcium in my gut and vasculature. I am not suggesting anyone else do this. One must have a specific need when doing this.

I only mention this to say that one can go well above the RDA/RDI that are highly contested to be far too low for modern diets, environmental inputs and lifestyles.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#63

Post by xwowsersx »

carabiner wrote: post #3
throckmortra wrote: post #2

My first winter in NYC was very rough and I didn't understand why at first. I got a blood test at the doc and he said my vitamin D was very low. I committed to walking in the sun at least a half hour a day, weather permitting, and I never really had issues again. Part of the issue was I was spending a lot of time walking outside but not in sunlight due to the tall buildings. Just my anecdotal 2c

I live in Seattle and have been depressed for a while. I had my Vitamin D3 levels checked via blood test, and they were really low. Started taking 5,000 IU per day, and I feel exactly the same as before.

did you get blood work done again though after taking the 5K IUs for a while? it's possible that the supplementation didn't bring your Vit D levels to within range and you need 10K IUs+. Of course, I'm not suggesting this would necessarily help with your depression, but just pointing that you gotta be scientific/anecdotal when it comes to supplementation/blood panels

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#64

Post by jamal-kumar »

jghefner wrote: post #55
jamal-kumar wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

This is what I'm talking about. The idea that "going for a walk and getting sunlight is good for depression" is so universally unchallengable that I must live somewhere terrible if it doesn't work for me.

No post body was provided.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#65

Post by BiteCode_dev »

AnthonBerg wrote: post #42
lordentropy wrote: post #12

Daily morning and afternoon exposure to bright light might actually be more important to reducing depression than direct vitamin D supplementation. Low vitamin D might just be an indicator that you are not getting enough sunlight. Sunlight also affects melatonin and serotonin levels, and synchronizes your Circadian rhythm. Not sure why that article doesn't talk about Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and how bright…

Sunlight’s effects on body chemistry also have a damping effect on inflammation. It’s a funny thing. Sunlight has an impact on many chemical processes in and on the body. One example: Our skin is coated with a bunch of chemicals. There’s a number of different acidic chemicals. These are known as the “acid mantle”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acid_mantle One of these substances is urocanic acid . The body manufactur…

And yet lots of dermatologists will tell you to avoid sunlight.

The medical community is full of contradictions.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#66

Post by femiagbabiaka »

carabiner wrote: post #3
throckmortra wrote: post #2

My first winter in NYC was very rough and I didn't understand why at first. I got a blood test at the doc and he said my vitamin D was very low. I committed to walking in the sun at least a half hour a day, weather permitting, and I never really had issues again. Part of the issue was I was spending a lot of time walking outside but not in sunlight due to the tall buildings. Just my anecdotal 2c

I live in Seattle and have been depressed for a while. I had my Vitamin D3 levels checked via blood test, and they were really low. Started taking 5,000 IU per day, and I feel exactly the same as before.

10k IU's a day is what it took me. I found that value almost by accident, while starting to follow Stan Efferding's Vertical Diet, which recommends that as a part of a suite of daily vitamins (it is much better than the name belies). IMO anyone who works a desk job should take 10k IU's daily. I fell out of the habit during covid quarantine and my levels (and my mood) were dangerously low when I came out on the other side.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#67

Post by kingcharles »

lordentropy wrote: post #12

Daily morning and afternoon exposure to bright light might actually be more important to reducing depression than direct vitamin D supplementation. Low vitamin D might just be an indicator that you are not getting enough sunlight. Sunlight also affects melatonin and serotonin levels, and synchronizes your Circadian rhythm. Not sure why that article doesn't talk about Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and how bright…

I just went over 8 years without seeing the sun (jail). I wonder what the long term effects are?

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#68

Post by TameAntelope »

carabiner wrote: post #3
throckmortra wrote: post #2

My first winter in NYC was very rough and I didn't understand why at first. I got a blood test at the doc and he said my vitamin D was very low. I committed to walking in the sun at least a half hour a day, weather permitting, and I never really had issues again. Part of the issue was I was spending a lot of time walking outside but not in sunlight due to the tall buildings. Just my anecdotal 2c

I live in Seattle and have been depressed for a while. I had my Vitamin D3 levels checked via blood test, and they were really low. Started taking 5,000 IU per day, and I feel exactly the same as before.

5k IUs is well beyond anything your body has a use for, and in fact is above what your body can tolerate! [0]

> RDA: The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults 19 years and older is 600 IU daily for men and women, and for adults >70 years it is 800 IU daily.

> UL: The Tolerable Upper Intake Level is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause harmful effects on health. The UL for vitamin D for adults and children ages 9+ is 4,000 IU.

So it's possible your 5k IUs were causing you more harm than good.

[0] https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#69

Post by TameAntelope »

LinuxBender wrote: post #62
tomatowurst wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

5000 IU is really too much. At best 2000, 2500 IU is good.

I use 60,000 to 90,000 IU's per day and have been doing so for years. The most I have taken in a 24 hour period is 140,000 IU's. There is no way I could have started off at those levels however. It would have induced major hypercalcemia had I done that prior to mobilizing all the stored/misplaced calcium in my gut and vasculature. I am not suggesting anyone else do this. One must have a specific need when doing this.…

> Taking 60,000 international units (IU) a day of vitamin D for several months has been shown to cause toxicity. This level is many times higher than the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for most adults of 600 IU of vitamin D a day. [0]

I think you may be poisoning yourself.

[0] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-h...

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#70

Post by pcurve »

jghefner wrote: post #37

Vitamin D supplementation didn't affect my depression. Going for walks to get more sunlight made it worse. I understand that not everything works for everyone and I wish those around me, including my doctor, did as well so they'd stop blaming me when their "cure" doesn't work on me.

Would you mind sharing in what ways going for walks made it worse for you?
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