Irish scientists prove Vitamin D levels linked to depression

[IThinkImTurningJapanese]

Irish scientists prove Vitamin D levels linked to depression

A new study by researchers from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin has shown for the first time in Ireland that a deficiency in vitamin D was associated with a substantially increased risk of depression (+75%) over a four-year follow-up period. The findings form part of the largest representative study of its kind and have just been published in the prestigious journal, The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (JAMDA).

Vitamin D or the ‘sunshine vitamin’ is essential for bone health and deficiency, and has recently been linked with other non-bone health outcomes such as inflammation and diabetes. Small studies have found links between vitamin D and depression but few have followed up with the same affected people over time, while others have not taken into account other factors that can also affect depression. These findings are important as the TILDA team has previously reported that 1 in 8 older Irish adults are deficient in vitamin D.

 

[jesse's mom]

This is especially important to those of us who rarely get to spend time outside due to illness and hot/cold sensitivity!
It has taken me months to titrate up on my vitamin D. I had to start with one baby drop on my food. I am up to 1,000 iu of D3 once a day, then every other day, another 1,000 iu in the afternoon.
I realized the connection when the Dr put me on a high dose of Vitamin D 50,000 and within three hours my blood pressure dropped to 60/40 I was passing out during conversations. That is when I began to really pay attention to my Blood Pressure and Heart Rate. Vitamin D directly affects it!

These last 3 months I have felt much better overall.

 

[keenly]

Sunlight, magnetism and water are imperative to our health. What does NASA look for?

Sunpplement, not supplement

 

[percyval577]

African people - with a lot of constant sunlight - have an interesting description for depression: Pepper in the brain.

I immediatly understand that description: During my early twenties I had a deressive episode.
Today I can relate it to a pre-me/cfs state. (I though could enjoy this depression, meaning I was not overtaken by it).

 

[Hip]

I wonder if that study took into account the fact that those with low vitamin D may be less exposed to light, and those with low light exposure will be more prone to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), aka winter depression (provided they are susceptible to SAD), which is caused by a mechanism unrelated to vitamin D.