Does Vitamin D Reduce Depression?

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine recently discovered an estimated 1 billion people worldwide have a vitamin D deficiency. 

And like I mentioned in my last article (that you can check out HERE), vitamin D takes part in more than 1,000 different functions in the body—most notably regarding immune system performance and testosterone—which means if you’re deficient in this important nutrient, it can lead to a cascade of negative side effects for your performance as a man. 

However, vitamin D deficiency won’t only leave you unprotected against common and novel viruses with a weakened immune system, or with sub-par testosterone levels. Studies show that if you’re lacking in vitamin D, it may also affect your mental health and performance, particularly, by increasing risk of depression. 

Depression and other mental disorders are no joke. 

They can have serious negative effects on a man’s quality of life. And can even lead to men feeling hopeless to overcome it, and taking their own lives—which has become so common these days that doctors call suicide a “silent epidemic” affecting men. 

From the bottom of my heart, man, I don’t want that for you. 

I want you to have a healthy body and sound mind, and vitamin D is likely one of the best avenues to make sure you’re accomplishing that.

So in this article, I’m going to show you how vitamin D affects emotional and brain health and the easiest way to fix it in just seconds per day. But first, let’s take a look at the science. 

Vitamin D and Your Brain

Vitamin D activates genes that release neurotransmitters to the brain—which affect their development and function. The reason vitamin D is connected with these transmitters is because there are vitamin D receptors on a handful of cells located in different regions of the brain. 

But here’s where it gets interesting… 

Those vitamin D receptors are specifically located in the same regions of the brain that are linked with depression. 

One of the most obvious ways we see this connection is with something called Seasonal Affective Disorder—a mood disorder that triggers symptoms of depression specifically during seasons of the year when it gets dark outside earlier.

See, one of the best ways to support healthy serum vitamin D levels is to spend time in the sun. Sunlight contains vitamin D, so when you’re soaking in the sunshine, you’re literally absorbing vitamin D into your body—which boosts dopamine and serotonin production in the brain and supports a generally happy mood. 

However, during darker times of the year, less sunlight exposure causes a drop in vitamin D levels, which then turns into depression and mood disorders. In fact, the connection is so linear, that when people visit the doctor because of depressive symptoms, a new medical protocol is to check vitamin D levels to see if low vitamin D is the culprit causing depression. 

Here are some studies that back this up:

• A study from the Netherlands found that low levels of vitamin D were directly related to symptoms of major and minor depression in 169 individuals 65 years and older.
• A study published in the Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine that included 2070 people ages 65 and older found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with depression in northern countries, although major depression was only seen in individuals with the most severe vitamin D deficiencies.
• One study from the University of Toronto tested the effects of vitamin D supplementation on subjects during the months of December-February and found those who received vitamin D saw an improvement in their depressive symptoms. 
• Vitamin D and mental health has also been shown to extend beyond depression. Schizophrenia has also been linked to low levels of vitamin D. A study from the University of Cambridge found infants born in winter and spring seasons (when the mother has low levels of vitamin D) have an increased risk of developing this disorder. 
• Like I mentioned in my article about the connection between vitamin D and testosterone, the two are directly related to one another. If your vitamin D levels are optimal (which likely isn’t the case unless you’re supplementing), then it’s likely that your testosterone levels aren’t where they should be either. The problem is, studies show a connection between healthy testosterone levels and improved mental health. Lower testosterone levels are linked with depression and anxiety while higher testosterone levels are associated with mood support.

Now What?

Taking care of your mental health is as important (if not more important) than taking care of your physical health. And the science is crystal clear that unless your serum vitamin D levels are in an optimal range, your mental health is going to suffer in some way, shape, or form. 

For that reason, I created a brand new vitamin D supplement called, [name of supplement]. 

Living in Canada myself, I’ve been learning how important it is for me to make sure my vitamin D levels are where they should be—especially in the colder months of the year. And I have a few buddies that struggle with seasonal depression up here. So [name of supplement] is my way of trying to help men be the best, mentally balanced and highest performing version of themselves—by supporting optimal vitamin D in the body. 

So hey man, if you struggle with depression or mood swings or anything like that, check out [name of supplement] by clicking here. 

Just take it once a day in the morning and over the course of a few weeks, you’ll notice a more balanced mood and improved mental health. 

And if you don’t really struggle with mental health, remember, vitamin D is the most important nutrient for supporting immunity and testosterone levels. So make sure you grab some for yourself, too. 

Claim your supply of [name of supplement] for a special pre-sale price by clicking here. 

You’ll be glad you did. 

• Chad