Depression affects 350 million people worldwide. Roughly 10% of Americans would be labeled “clinically depressed”. These numbers surely have gone up over the past year with all of the lockdowns and restrictions on daily life.
Medications for depression carry significant side-effects, including worsening symptoms and even increased levels of suicide and other extreme actions.
Vitamin D, on the other hand, is completely natural, freely available from direct skin exposure to the sun, and safe to consume as a supplement (especially when it’s a whole food variety and not synthetic).
People low in Vitamin D had an 8%-14% increase in depression and a 50% increase in suicide. Conversely, supplementing with Vitamin D showed an effect that was comparable to that of anti-depressant medications (and without the side-effects!).
The Takeaway: If you are depressed, get some sun! Getting out of the house and into nature soothes a troubled soul. If you need extra Vitamin D or can’t get enough sun for whatever reason, use Cataplex D from Standard Process. The researchers used doses greater than 800 I.U. per day, while the recommended dose of two pills would give you the equivalent of 1,600 I.U. per day.
(Read the article summary here)