Does Vitamin D Help With Depression?

Does vitamin D help with depression?

This question comes into the mind, when any person with depressive symptoms, taking vitamin D as supplements.

Vitamin D is essential for Happiness. This line itself tells that vitamin D help with depression.

When you think of Vitamin D, most of the time you think about health of bone.

It is well known that, vitamin D is necessary for healthy bones, prevention of brittle bone and osteoporosis (weakness of bone).

Certain mental health problems like depression, cognitive dysfunction are associated with deficiency of vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency has also been seen in muscle diseases and certain specific cancer cases.

Latest studies in previous years suggest that, there is a link between depression and vitamin D deficiency.

There are numerous neurosteroids present in the brain which function and develop normally. Vitamin D is one of such molecule, present throughout the brain and spinal fluid.

Receptors of vitamin D are found in important areas of brain like substantia nigra. This is the site responsible for production of dopamine.

Although, not conclusive evidence, but still it proves a connection between psychological disorders and vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is not a single molecule. It comes in various forms. Skin in our body produces a special compound 7-dehydrocholesterol. Ultraviolet rays of the sun converts this molecule into vitamin D3. Now this vitamin D3 goes into the liver, where it converts into 25 hydoxyvitamin D. This form now reaches to kidney where it converts finally into active compound 1,25dihydroxy Vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency leads to some common symptoms. These are-

1-Frequent infections-

Frequent infections resulting in lower our immunity.

Vitamin D helps in fight against infections particularly flu and cold. It is also proved during this pandemic, which is commonly associated with respiratory infections.

2-Weak bones and bone pain

Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium from our food as a result protects bone from becoming weak.

3-Tiredness and fatigue

Deficiency of vitamin D leads to disturbance of sleep, therefore body becomes tired all the time.

4-Low mood, loss of interest in the work are the main symptoms of depression. These symptoms are associated with deficiency of vitamin D.

Although vitamin D deficiency may not be the cause of direct depression, but it has been seen that vitamin D supplementation is responsible for improvement of depressive symptoms.

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