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Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

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21–30 of 669 posts

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#21
post #10

Can I just add: In addition to this, if you struggle with anxiety or have some sort of ADHD, then try cutting out caffeine entirely . Not just switching to "decaf" (which isn't), but cutting out tea and coffee, and switching to an alternative like Barleycup. Doing this has had a massive positive effect for me, and combined with decent nutrition and daily exercise, has been wonderful.

Fascinating.

Can you describe what else you tried? Other supplements? Any other non-food/supplement techniques like journaling, breathing, etc.? Any therapy and other similar human interventions?

After all those - is it / was it still the case that cutting caffeine drove the best outcome?

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#22
post #10

Can I just add: In addition to this, if you struggle with anxiety or have some sort of ADHD, then try cutting out caffeine entirely . Not just switching to "decaf" (which isn't), but cutting out tea and coffee, and switching to an alternative like Barleycup. Doing this has had a massive positive effect for me, and combined with decent nutrition and daily exercise, has been wonderful.

I love coffee so much, I'd prefer to deal with the anxiety, and I do suffer from it.

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#23
post #14

Your body makes Vitamin D when in sunlight. Could it be that sunlight - and the whole being outdoors situation - is the thing that helps rather than vitamin d levels?

There's a research that winter sunlight in northern latitudes just does not convert precursors to vitamin D. Even when it's shining, no matter how long you are outside.

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#24
post #4

Please do not take 5000mg/day of Vitamin D. The author confuses IU and mg which is very dangerous.

Only recently again I read in the newspaper, that most products are overdosed. There is a typical number that the vitamin D products usually show, and in the article it said, that only up to 800 IU is safe, and everything above is an overdose. There are many products out there with 2000 UI or maybe even more. Beware. EDIT: Wow, the HN-local doctors at it again. Imagine getting downvoted for sharing information from n…

Misinformation. Do more research.

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#25
post #4

Please do not take 5000mg/day of Vitamin D. The author confuses IU and mg which is very dangerous.

So 5000 IU is the recommended amount?

5000 IU is very high, might be beneficial during the winter for folks with very fair skin. but most probably shouldn't take that much every day

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#26
post #14

Your body makes Vitamin D when in sunlight. Could it be that sunlight - and the whole being outdoors situation - is the thing that helps rather than vitamin d levels?

It could be, but the same effect can be observed in people who dont change their outdoor habits but take vit D and omega 3 supplements

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#27
Over the last few months, I’ve increasingly come to believe that depression is not caused by a chemical imbalance. After trying ten different antidepressants with no success, I found far greater improvement by changing my patterns of thinking.

Re: Vitamin D and Omega-3 have a larger effect on depression than antidepressants

#30
post #2

I found this to be the case. Tried Sertraline for a while, gave me headaches and made me feel sick. Then as part of a new gym plan, started taking Omega 3+VitD daily, and I just felt a sense of calm and peace after a few weeks. The massive uptick in exercise probably also helped. I also felt quite an extreme uptick because I was a vegan for 10 years, and found out I had basically zero Omega 3 in my blood. I suspect o…

> I was a vegan for 10 years, and found out I had basically zero Omega 3 in my blood

I see your disclaimer, but just for more context, vegans can get Omega 3 without taking pills per se. Flax seeds are an excellent source. I often add a spoonful to a bowl of oatmeal or as a pancake topping along with fruit sauce and granola.

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