Seasonal Affective Disorder & Vitamin D
FEB 12, 2024 • Written by Dr. Hannah WEbb, ND
If you think you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder then I highly recommend getting your vitamin D levels checked.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) is a form of depression that specifically occurs in the winter time (and specifically in areas further from the equator).
Vitamin D is a vitamin that is produced when the skin is exposed to UVB rays from the sun. If you are not exposed to sunlight, directly on your skin, you will not make vitamin D. You can also get some vitamin D from food, but not much. Not enough.
It’s not necessarily thought that vitamin D deficiency causes SAD, but it’s a contributing factor that worsens the symptoms. Addressing it is an essential part of a comprehensive mental wellness plan for SAD. And if you are low, bringing you vitamin D levels up to optimal can be HUGELY impactful for mental health. I have seen this many times in my practice to the point I believe testing vitamin D levels should be standard of care for depression.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is out of date. The RDA dose is not enough for most people to maintain your levels, let alone increase them. This is why testing is important - if you know you are low you can take a high dose for a short period of time to increase your levels, and quickly. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, which you can take in high doses for your body to store for future use.
Vitamin D testing is unfortunately not covered by MSP, whether the test is requisitioned by a medical doctor, naturopathic doctor, or otherwise. This is a private pay test and costs just under $100. And one that I think is well worth the investment, because it can make SUCH a difference for your health.
Beyond mental health vitamin D is also necessary for maintaining good bone density with aging and for regulating your circadian rythyms (i.e. your sleep wake cycle). It’s important for strong immune system function for fighting infections of all kinds. Studies also show vitamin D has a preventative role in reducing cancer cell growth, preventing cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis and heart attacks, and reducing inflammation. Low vitamin D status is a risk factor for dementia. Good vitamin D status is associated with reduced all-cause mortality, meaning death for any reason. There’s lots of research here.
We live in a bioregion that is cloudy and rainy a lot of the time. Many people in our area are deficient. Pretty well all of us need to supplement. If if you test your levels you know exactly where you are at and can take an accordingly high dose to optimize your levels immediately.
Other tips specifically for seasonal affective disorder, on top of vitamin D?
Go outside every day, even if its rainy and dreary out there - fresh air, hanging out with plants, seeing the sky even if its cloudy, all these things are good for the mind/body/soul
Use a SAD lamp daily
And finally, it bears mentioning that a plan for depression of is necessarily multifactorial. Consider too strategies that are helpful for other forms of depression – exercise, counselling, somatic therapy & nervous system work, herbs, appropriate use of medication, nutrition, etc. I encourage you to build a team and build a toolbox of mental health supports. And. Get your vitamin D tested!!