Live data from Hacker News

Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

171–180 of 221 posts

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

You don’t know anybody happy in Portland OR? lol. What a silly statement.

In the entire state all I know is people on massive amounts of meds who are constantly getting into levels of misery I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

All I can do is ask why that state, and not all the others I know people in?

Even on here I had some comment thread which went on a TANGENT like 50 messages talking about how messed up it is there lately.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1500 milligrams of sodium per day. Because sodium is being added to packaged and processed foods, the average American was getting way more sodium than the recommended amount. And given the number of obese people and those with hypertension who are salt-sensitive, lots of people were getting way more sodium than was healthy for them.

There's also ample evidence that 1500mg is too low. https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20140402/cdc-salt-gu... . Unlike white sugar which seems to be bad for humans in nearly any amount, salt is an essential nutrient. I suspect it was so demonized as an attempt to deflect blame off of other food additives such as sugar. Low sodium diets may make sense for people with high blood pressure, but it isn't something t…

I don't feel like I tried to do a low salt diet, but I don't eat pre packaged foods and normally cut out skipped salt just because it had such a bad rap.

Recently I started drinking a homemade electrolyte and if I miss it for a few days I can really tell. Increasing my salt and potassium has made my head feel better, I don't get dizzy standing up quickly, I got rid of the always thirsty feeling and my circulation is better (fingers aren't cold all the time).

Why did I make this change? My wife had a bunch of tests. The heart doctor said everything was great and to increase salt in the diet. We eat the same and many of the things I listed were mentioned in her appointment - so I figured it would likely be good for me.

Pass the salt.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#173

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "tolerable upper limit" for vitamin D is set absurdly low. I have perused the literature on D toxicity and each case involved someone taking at least 100k IU per day, and usually way more than that. I take 50k IU per day every winter and have never had an issue. Blood calcium levels normal, etc 5k IU is an average dose and will absolutely not cause harm.

> "I have perused the literature" ...and you are? > 5k IU is an average dose and will absolutely not cause harm. This is wildly irresponsible to post, and should be removed from HN.

[deleted]

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#174

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.

I wasn't depressed but had low energy levels. I started taking 24,000 IU a day and within two weeks I had way more energy, constantly elevated mood and just felt happy overall. I recently lowered the dose to 12,000 IU per day. I did blood test before that and I had super low Vitamin D3 levels and I live quite far up north.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#175
post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those numbers are wrong by an order of magnitude, because the original estimation was based on faulty math. The actual dose needed to bring serum levels up for most people would be far higher. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210929/

I'm going to go ahead and trust Harvard Medicine over a single study that has since gone largely uncited, and was published in "Nutrients" which carries an h-index of 115 (Nature, for example, carries an h-index of 1226) [0][1]. [0] https://www.scimagojr.com/journalsearch.php?q=19700188323&ti... [1] https://www.scimagojr.com/journalsearch.php?q=21206&tip=sid&...

You should never judge an article by where it was published (some exceptions of course), only in the quality of the work. Impact factors are loosely a measurement of significance of the work, in terms of how broadly applicable they are to the fields of science. It is absolutely not a strict measure of the expected quality of the article.

Also, for what it's worth, most of the articles referenced in the Harvard Medicine review referring to dosages are from before 2010, so they may be out of date.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#176

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.

I thought the walk was most beneficial in nature, but of course in a forest you don't get much sun exposure.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> The medical community is full of contradictions. We added iodine to salt to prevent deficiency, then decades later told everyone to avoid salt. I've found iodine to be a huge piece of the puzzle - certainly not a panacea but one of several go to solutions.

The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1500 milligrams of sodium per day. Because sodium is being added to packaged and processed foods, the average American was getting way more sodium than the recommended amount. And given the number of obese people and those with hypertension who are salt-sensitive, lots of people were getting way more sodium than was healthy for them.

I … have never in my life heard of salt contributing to obesity. I’ve struggled with being severely overweight. I’m medically monitored for hypertension, both because of my weight history and medication which should increase my blood pressure. I struggle now to keep weight on. Salt is not a factor.

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "tolerable upper limit" for vitamin D is set absurdly low. I have perused the literature on D toxicity and each case involved someone taking at least 100k IU per day, and usually way more than that. I take 50k IU per day every winter and have never had an issue. Blood calcium levels normal, etc 5k IU is an average dose and will absolutely not cause harm.

> "I have perused the literature" ...and you are? > 5k IU is an average dose and will absolutely not cause harm. This is wildly irresponsible to post, and should be removed from HN.

>...and you are?

Someone who is wholly uninterested in the credential theory of epistemology. Back to reddit with that, please.

> This is wildly irresponsible to post, and should be removed from HN.

You don't seem to know what the TUIL actually means. The tolerable upper intake level of a substance is not the actual safe upper limit, it just guarantees that a certain level is safe. In the case of vitamin D, the actual safe upper limit is likely an order of magnitude higher, which was even acknowledged by the people who, very conservatively, set the TUIL at 4k IU.[0] If 4k IU is completely safe (which it is), then there is nothing at all irresponsible about suggesting that 5k IU is completely safe (which it is), unless that extra 1000 IU somehow accomplishes some deleterious effect, which it doesn't.

That extra 1000 IU between 4k and 5k is simply insignificant. To put all these numbers in context, the body synthesizes the equivalent of anywhere from 4k-12k IU per day from sunlight,[1][2] and possibly 20k+ IU if you're sunbathing with most of your skin exposed.[3] So really, a 5k dose is in the low to moderate range. If 5k IU of vitamin D is scary or irresponsible, then getting even a little sun exposure is really scary and irresponsible!

[0] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17209171/

[1] https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/61.3.638S

[2] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2007.03.004

[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18290718/

Re: Vitamin D and Depression (2020)

#179

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.…

How much K2 are you taking?
Post reply on HN