Is Vitamin D Worth Taking This Winter?

A statistic found in Dr. Norman E Rosenthal’s book Winter Blues mentions that approximately 6% of the US population, primarily in northern climates, is affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or seasonal depression. Another 14% of the adult population suffers from a lesser form of seasonal mood changes, known as the winter blues. Although there are a variety of reasons surrounding seasonal depression or mood changes, a simple vitamin deficiency could be playing a big role in these emotional rollercoasters.

We’re all familiar with Vitamin D – the sunshine vitamin! This “happy” vitamin is produced naturally by the body as a response to sun exposure but can also be consumed in foods. It’s important to have enough of this vitamin for a variety of reasons – including maintaining healthy bones, supporting the immune system, brain and nervous system, regulating insulin levels, supporting cardiovascular health and even influencing the expression of genes involved in cancer development.

Although the vitamin is so vital for our overall health and well-being, it’s unfortunately quite easy to become deficient in it if you aren’t getting enough sunshine. Vitamin D deficiency can look like a lot of different things, but because we’re talking about emotional health here, let’s dive into how Vitamin D and seasonal depression collide and what you can do about it.

During the winter months, do you experience the following more often than not?

-       Fatigue

-       Depressed mood

-       Poor immune system

-       Low energy

-       Problems sleeping

-       Difficulty concentrating

-       Weight gain

We’re not here to diagnose you with one thing or another, but there’s a chance that if your answer was “yes” to at least 2-3 of the symptoms above, then you may be struggling with low Vitamin D levels during the darker months of the year.

Note: If depression or low energy levels are a serious issue, please consider talking to your doctor or healthcare practitioner.

Alongside taking care of yourself in other ways this winter (exercising, eating a healthy diet, spending time with friends and family, and doing things that you enjoy), you might consider supplementing with Vitamin D as the days get shorter and darker.

Daily, adults should consider an intake of 1,000-4,000 IU, or 25-100 micrograms to maintain healthy Vitamin D levels. Exposing arms and legs to sunlight for 10-30 minutes between 10am and 3pm can likely meet the daily requirements, but supplementation is a great route too if you work long hours or spend a lot of time inside.

Foods like salmon, herring and sardines, cod liver oil, canned tuna, oysters, eggs and some dairy products are excellent dietary sources of Vitamin D. However, if you’d like to go the supplement route, here are a few high-quality brands to consider. All of them can be purchased on Amazon!

Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 Softgels (1000 IU)

Thorne Vitamin D Capsules (5000 IU)

Carlson Labs D3 (2000 IU)

NatureWise Vitamin D3 (5000 IU)

In the grand scheme of things, it takes more than proper Vitamin D levels to feel your best all year long. Remember to take care of your body, mind and spirit in a variety of ways, and always take time to rest and destress when you need to!

We wish you a beautiful fall season and a sunshiny winter!

Nest Health Connections

Nest Health Connections is a corporate wellness company revolutionizing health and happiness in the workplace. We create holistic customized wellness programs for employers and their employees.