Does Vitamin D Help Your Mental Health?
Does Vitamin D Help Your Mental Health?
For those hearing about the Vitamin for the very first time, they think of bright sunny day, sound health, especially in their bones and a glass of milk. But do you realize that Vitamin D might also work hand in hand in influencing our mental health? From lifting our spirits to protecting our brains, this ‘sunshine vitamin’ is a whole lot more helpful than you’d imagine.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that can be synthesized in the body from a substance found in the sun. This vitamin is also found in some of the foods and in some supplement form. It enhances the uptake of calcium, vitamins and tends to diuretics, promotes strong bones as well as teeth.Â
And this is not an exhaustive list of the work that it performs! New studies are now showing that Vitamin D might also participate in some of our psychological functions.
How Does Vitamin D Work in the Body?
Vitamin D controls a number of important metabolic processes in the body, behaving somewhat like a hormone. It is transported in the blood to various cells, even to brain cells. Hence, researchers assert that it can have an impact on dosage forms as well as our thoughts and emotions.
Vitamin D and Mental Health: What Does Science Say?
Here are certain factors of Vitamin D’s effect on mental health:
Works as an Antidepressant
Clinical depression is reported as prevalent amongst populations that are having deficiency of Vitamin D. Vitamin D can be beneficial in the generation of serotonin, a chemical in the brain which is associated with pleasure and the reduction of the feelings of sadness and depression.
Alleviates Stress In Individuals
Anxiety Disorders, GAD, PTSD, and other stress and angst enabling patterns are seen in individuals who have a considerable deficiency of Vitamin D. Vitamin D has anxiolytic effects on the brain which aids in the lowering of anxiety.
Enhances Focus and Memory
Neurogenesis or the generation of new brain cells in adult organisms are supported by Vitamin D. New cells of the brain are important in the attenuation of memory and focus which are critical aspects of mental health.
Helps In Controlling Sleep Cycles And Patterns
Sleep hygiene is often directly related to mental health and so maintaining good sleep is often regarded as the first step towards therapy. Vitamin D plays a big role in achieving this as it helps in regulating the sleep cycle of an individual.
How to Get Enough Vitamin DÂ
How to Get Enough Vitamin D Vitamin D is obtained, or rather synthesized, in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays. In ideal conditions, half an hour of sun exposure each day is sufficient to provide the skin with enough ultraviolet for vitamin synthesis. However, climatological and cultural factors prevent most people from acquiring the requisite amount of vitamin D. Several studies show that more than half of the world suffers from vitamin D deficiency leading to a range of mus骨内, autoimmune, and cardiovascular ailments. Understanding how to naturally boost the body’s levels of this vitamin is critical.Â
Here are some ways to make sure your Vitamin D levels stay healthy:
SunlightÂ
Like most of our other vitamins, vitamin D is also stored as fat in the body, making dietary sources less effective than sun exposure. The skin on average absorbs vitamin d from sun exposure 10-20 times more efficiently than ingesting through diet. So, spending 15-20 minutes under sunlight becomes an easy task. Scientists concluded that spending time outside in the early morning could boost the levels of vitamin D in your body. If your country is situated in hotter areas like India, then it gets really hot around afternoon.
Food SourcesÂ
In most western countries and regions, taking proper amounts through the sun source is really hard or practically impossible 9 month of the year which makes it significantly hard to receive levels of vitamin D. During such times, reaching the low levels of vitamin D through high consumption of the right foods is the only solution. In this case, foods rich in vitamin D should be included in the diet. Adding fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines, egg yolks, and foods with high levels of fortified vitamins such as milk, orange juice, and cereals can help achieve this goal.
SupplementsÂ
Doctors suggest that taking vitamin d3 capsules can also be beneficial in maintaining the required levels of vitamin d in your body, however, one must always consult his doctor before doing so. Some studies have demonstrated that periods of decreased sun exposure or dietary insufficiency can lead to habitual or distinct vitamin d deficiency and its supplementation has been proven to be really helpful. For older ages, it can be a good substitute for directly consuming the foods which are rich in vitamin d.
Signs of Low Vitamin D Levels
A Vitamin D deficiency is difficult to diagnose because there are often no obvious signs, or those signs are confused with other problems. Let us take a step back to know the more common symptoms and what might be their implications:Â Â
Persistent Exhaustion Â
Does the exhaustion remain even when you have had enough sleep? Chronic fatigue is another term related to vitamin D insufficiency.Vitamin D is crucial for energy generation; therefore, when you have insufficient energy, your muscles and brain perform inefficiently, resulting in fatigue throughout the day.Â
Muscle Weakness Â
Are your muscles weaker than usual, or do you notice difficulty in executing simple tasks? This could lead to low vitamin D exposure. This vitamin is an absolute necessity for muscle strength and coordination. Even if one has not done any difficult activity, a deficiency could mean muscles feel sore, crampy, lack power, all from getting overworked very easily.Â
Mood Swings or Irritability Â
Do you feel that you are out of character and particularly grouchy all the time? Vitamin D has links to serotonin, a chemical involved with happiness and mood regulation; hence, situations where there is a vitamin D deficiency would often see lower levels of serotonin as well. In such conditions, the person might even feel anxious, sad, or irritable, hence its airtime with depression.
Common sicknesses
A sufficient quantity of Vitamin D is also necessary to help bolster your immune system against infections such as a cold or flu. Worryingly, if you tend to get sick regularly, then that could imply that your immune system is deficient in vitamin D.
Vitamin D Deficiency in India:
It is quite astonishing that even in a tropical country like India, an appreciable proportion of the population are the deficient. Even as sunlight is naturally available, there are several constraints that keep people from making use of this important vitamin. Let’s look further into the causes: There are three causes.
Employment Barriers in the Form of Excessive Heat in the Regions Combined with Pollution
Across the geographic regions of India, particularly in summer, the temperature can rise to extreme levels. In order to escape the severe sun, people tend to stay inside, which restricts their opportunities for receiving natural sunlight. Furthermore, urban pollution has become a factor limiting the amount of available UV rays to the skin and thus the synthesis of Vitamin D in the body.
Urbanisation and the Decreasing Availability of Open Environments
With urbanisation, the greeneries and spacious places have now been substituted with steel and cement structures. Most people, especially in urban centres, remain confined within office or school premises for most of the day. This lifestyle enables lesser chances of going outside and getting tanned which makes meeting Vitamin D adequacy quite difficult. (386 words)
Vitamin D-Soluble Foods are Rarely Included in the Diet
Diverse Indian diet has little natural Vitamin D food sources. Indian society does embrace vegetarianism, with a majority of Vitamin D food sources being plants, which are rare. There are some foods including fortified milk or cereals available, but they are not an everyday meal for all people. Furthermore, people may lack the knowledge that some vitamin D-rich foods such as fish, egg yolks, or supplemented foods should be added to the diet.
Who does have a higher Chance of being Vitamin D Deficient?
However, vitamin D deficiency is common in some groups because of biological, environmental, and lifestyle differences. Let’s look at some of the most affected individuals:
1. The Elderly
With aging, the skin becomes less effective in synthesizing Vitamin D from sunlight. Elderly persons also rarely go out, be it for lack of movement, health constraints or personal decision. Moreover, their dietary habits may not often include Vitamin D rich foods. This triad makes them susceptible to vitamin deficiency with skeletal weakness, lethargy, and susceptibility to infections being some of the effects.
2. The Individuals with Darker Skin (More Melanocytes)
Melanin is a natural pigment found in the skin and helps to prevent skin from burning as it absorbs ultraviolet light. Although this shields the skin, it also limits its capacity to manufacture vitamin D. Because of this, those with darker skin tones need more sunlight exposure to make enough vitamin D. This is quite crucial in countries like India, where plenty of skin is naturally dark, and a large portion may not be receiving adequate sun.
3. Indoor Workers or Those Avoiding Sunlight
Dominantly sunenforcement deprived people tend to be office employees, factory workers, or students for whom sunlight is only a fading memory. The same risk poses individuals who stay away from the sun for reasons of hot atmosphere, pollution or frowning upon tanned skin. The developing pattern is specially worrying in urban settings where outdoor activities are restricted by lifestyle or environmental concerns.
 FAQs
Q.Does Vitamin D have an ability to treat depression?
ANS. No Vitamin D is not a cure for depression but it is a great help in uplifting one’s energy level. This should always be consumed in consultation with a professional and as part of treatment.
Q.In how much amount do I require Vitamin D daily?
ANS. While for most people it is enough to have 600-800 IU (International Units) per day. They may suggest more if the levels are low though depending on your doctor’s prescription.
Q.Is it possible to overdose with Vitamin D?
ANS. However, consuming too much Vitamin D causes health risks such as nausea or kidney problems. Stick to recommended doses.
Q.Of all the sources of vitamin D, is sunlight the best?
ANS. Well, yes, but please remember in the sun, it can harm your skin and we do not want that to happen. Wear sunscreen when in outdoor activities that require a lot of time exposed to the sun.
Conclusion
Not only does Vitamin D have benefits in the skeletal structure of humans, it also has a positive effect on the human mind. So that means getting out in the sun more, eating the right foods and seeing our Doctor when necessary we can help control this and make our mind a happier, healthier place.
It can; begin with the simple steps such as walking around during the morning sunshine, increase your intake of Vitamin D foods, and then notice how much its side effect that enhances your mood is. Just a reminder – for your mind to be healthy, your habits have to be healthy too.
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