Feeling down? Though mood and energy levels can be affected by many different things, sometimes we can forget how much our nutrition can impact our overall wellness. This month’s newsletter will address the basics of the relationship between Vitamin D & mood regulation, as well as some ways to boost your intake of this special micronutrient.
What is Vitamin D?
Let’s start off with understanding what this micronutrient is, and what it does. Vitamin D, like all vitamins, is an organic molecule that plays important roles in various body systems. It is most well-known for its function in promoting bone health and development, but it has also been tied to metabolism and immune regulation.
How does it affect my mood?
Interestingly, Vitamin D acts alongside many different hormonal pathways in our body. It is known to work hand-in-hand with insulin, melatonin & cortisol. These three hormones play significant roles in regulating energy levels, with the latter two specifically tied to sleep cycle regulation and stress response.
Furthermore, Vitamin D is broken down into calcitriol in the body, which is essential for the synthesis of neurotransmitters like serotonin & dopamine. While these two brain chemicals are vital in emotional and mood regulation, they are also key to many other mental functions, like planning, task initiation & completion, and the ability to focus. As such, current research has been looking into associations between low Vitamin D and depression, anxiety, and ADHD.
Am I getting enough Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is created naturally in our skin in small amounts, but not enough to meet our bodily needs – even if you spend a lot of time outdoors! To fulfill these requirements, we have to make sure we consume it through dietary means. According to the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, almost 22% of Americans are deficient in Vitamin D, with women, African Americans, and individuals age 20-29 at the highest risk.
Knowing if you are deficient in Vitamin D requires blood testing, but here are a few common signs and symptoms of low levels:
- Fatigue, low energy levels
- Depressed, or disinterested, emotionally detached mood
- Brain fog, or issues with focusing on tasks
- Muscle/Joint weakness, soreness, or achiness
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Falling sick/getting infections often
If you are concerned about deficiency, talk to your doctor about getting tested and if supplementation is recommended for you.
Current recommendations for daily Vitamin D intake are 600 international units (IU) for adults up to 70 years of age, and 800 IU for people over 70 years. It is not advised to take over 4,000 IU per day, unless your doctor says otherwise. Too much Vitamin D intake can lead to toxicity, which can have severe consequences like vomiting, bone loss, or kidney failure. Don’t worry, though – toxicity is typically only a risk if you are taking high doses of Vitamin D supplements. Dietary intake of Vitamin D through whole foods is much safer and very unlikely to cause adverse reactions.
Potent sources of Vitamin D
Of course, the easiest and most accessible form of Vitamin D is hanging right above our heads – the Sun! It is recommended to get around 20 minutes of sunshine daily to help meet your needs. However, sunscreen and protective clothing, which are essential for skin cancer protection, can also get in the way of adequate absorption.
Food sources can help to fill in the gaps. In general, dairy and dairy-alternative products (yogurt, milk, eggs, and cheese) are usually fortified with Vitamin D, making them great food sources for this micronutrient. Additionally, seafood (salmon, trout, Atlantic mackerel, tuna) is also high in Vitamin D content.
Here are a few snack options that can help you get a bite of sunlight:
- 1 cup of low-fat kefir or yogurt with almonds and berries (~100-116 IU)
- 3 oz of canned tuna in a sushi bake, or a sandwich (~230 IU)
- 8 oz of low-fat milk or soy milk with PB and fruits for a milkshake (~115-119 IU)
In summary, Vitamin D is an essential micronutrient in many different aspects of our overall wellness, but has a special role in hormonal regulation. As such, deficiency in this vitamin can sometimes show up in the form of mood changes or cause other symptoms that can influence how we feel as a whole. It is important to make sure your daily diet includes a healthy amount of Vitamin D to meet your body’s needs, or are taking a daily multivitamin to support adequate intake. As always, talk to your doctor about any diet or supplement considerations before making changes.
Author: Hafsah Khan, Dietetic Intern
References
Akpınar, Ş., & Karadağ, M. G. (2022). Is vitamin D important in anxiety or depression? What is the truth? Current Nutrition Reports, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-022-00441-0
Carlberg, C., Raczyk, M., & Zawrotna, N. (2023). Vitamin D: A master example of nutrigenomics. Redox Biology,62, 102695. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2023.102695
Dietary Guidelines for Americans. (2020). Food sources of vitamin D | dietary guidelines for Americans. Dietaryguidelines.gov. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/resources/2020-2025-dietary-guidelines-online-materials/food-sources-select-nutrients/food-sources-vitamin-d
Sizar, O., Khare, S., Goyal, A., Bansal, P., & Givler, A. (2023). Vitamin D deficiency. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532266/