If you’re living with depression, you might wonder if vitamin D can affect your mental health. Some members of MyDepressionTeam have talked about how the vitamin seems to impact their mood.

One member speculated, “I’ve heard that vitamin D can help depression. Has anyone tried it?” Another responded, “I take prescription-strength vitamin D once a week. I have noticed a bit of a change in my mood, so I’d have to say yes.” Other members weren’t so sure about supplements but noted that sunlight, which helps your body make vitamin D, made a difference — “I take it. But I didn’t notice any difference. I think sunlight helps more.”

Researchers have wondered if not getting enough vitamin D can cause symptoms of depression. Some evidence suggests that low vitamin D levels could put you at a higher risk for depression. Newer studies show conflicting evidence, with some studies suggesting that taking vitamin D supplements can temporarily reduce depression symptoms and others indicating that more research is needed to say for sure. To make informed decisions about whether or not to adjust your vitamin D intake, it’s a good idea to consider a few key points.

What Is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, is a nutrient that your body needs to make your muscles move, help your nerves send signals, and allow your immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. Vitamin D also helps keep bones healthy by making sure they can take in the calcium they need to stay strong.

There are two kinds of vitamin D: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3.

Vitamin D2 is mostly found in plants, mushrooms, and yeast. Vitamin D3, known as cholecalciferol, can be found in oily fish and is also made in the body during sun exposure. Vitamin D3 is converted to 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol in the liver, which is then converted to the active form, 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, known as calcitriol, in the kidneys. This active form helps turn on and off the genes that allow vitamin D to carry out its function in the body.

Calcitriol can be found as a supplement and can also affect the cells involved in the immune system.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Depression

There’s a common belief that not getting enough vitamin D can contribute to depression and other mental health conditions. Some experts say that taking vitamin D supplements might help mental health, but they also say it’s not clear if low vitamin D causes depression or if depression makes people have lower vitamin D.

Can a Lack of Vitamin D Cause Depression?

Cleveland Clinic cites depressive symptoms among the potential outcomes of a vitamin D insufficiency, in addition to other physical symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and cramps.

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to other long-lasting health problems, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease (heart disease), and osteoporosis. Having depression can also raise your risk for these health problems and make them harder to deal with.

Can Lack of Sunlight Cause Depression?

Some people experience changes in mood as a result of living in climates that don’t get much sunlight. Most people can get most of the vitamin D they need from direct sunlight exposure, so staying indoors for extended periods of time can significantly impact the amount of vitamin D a person gets.

As one MyDepressionTeam member noted, “When we lived in Oregon … my vitamin D level dropped so low that my depression worsened. We are now back in sunny California, and my depression is better. I try to get some sun at least three times per week.”

Although low vitamin D levels have been associated with seasonal affective disorder, it’s still undetermined whether vitamin D supplementation can be considered a successful remedy. Still, as one MyDepressionTeam member said, “Even if you don’t have seasonal affective disorder, winter is still depressing. A vitamin D supplement and/or a sunlamp may help.”

Can Depression Lead to Vitamin D Deficiency?

The relationship between vitamin D deficiency and depression might go both ways. For example, some people with depression may not feel like going outside, so they get less vitamin D from sunlight than they would if they went out more.

Some may get less vitamin D because of how symptoms of depression can change their eating habits. Depression can affect your appetite and can cause you to eat an unhealthy diet.

Does Vitamin D Work as an Antidepressant?

Vitamin D isn’t a standalone treatment for depression, but if you have a vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplements might improve your depressive symptoms.

Vitamin D supplements might benefit you as part of a wider treatment plan that also includes medication and therapy for major depressive disorder if you have both depression and a vitamin D deficiency. But it’s important to note that taking vitamin D supplements won’t prevent depression in people who don’t have it.

Your healthcare provider might check for a vitamin D deficiency using a blood test if you have certain medical conditions or vitamin D deficiency symptoms. Some experts believe vitamin D screening should be a standard step in the treatment plan of depression and other mood disorders.

Should You Take Dietary Supplements?

It’s important to have a conversation with your healthcare provider if you’re considering taking supplements to increase your vitamin D levels. Even if you have enough vitamin D, your vitamin D status is only one aspect of your mental health and well-being. Asking for help from a doctor who is familiar with your medical history will help determine which path is right for you.

Also, you should talk to your healthcare team before taking vitamin D supplements because taking too much can cause harmful side effects. The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements warns that too much vitamin D can cause nausea and vomiting, muscle weakness, confusion, pain, dehydration, and kidney stones, among other side effects. These side effects only come from taking vitamin D supplements. You can’t get too much vitamin D from the sun because your body limits how much it makes in response to sunlight.

Vitamin D can also affect how some medications work, so talk to your doctor before you start taking any vitamin D supplements.

How To Increase Your Vitamin D Levels

You may or may not need to take dietary supplements to increase your vitamin D levels. There are other ways to get more vitamin D by making lifestyle changes. Spending more time in the sun can help, especially for younger individuals and people with lighter skin tones.

You can also increase your vitamin D levels by increasing your dietary intake of vitamin D. According to the Cleveland Clinic, foods that are good sources of vitamin D include:

• Beef liver
• Fatty fish (such as salmon, sardines, swordfish, and cod liver oil)
• Egg yolks

Certain foods are fortified with vitamin D, which means vitamin D has been added to foods that wouldn’t normally have it. Foods that often have vitamin D added to them are milk, orange juice, and breakfast cereal. Check the labels at the grocery store to find vitamin D-fortified options.

If you prefer to take vitamin D supplements, be sure to check with your doctor before doing so. Follow your doctor’s instructions on how to take vitamin D supplements safely. You can find over-the-counter vitamin D supplements at local pharmacies and grocery stores. Some high-dose vitamin D supplements, available by prescription only, are taken just once or twice a week.

Talk With People Who Understand

MyDepressionTeam is the social network for people with depression and their loved ones. On MyDepressionTeam, members from across the world come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with depression.

Are you working to increase your levels of vitamin D? Has vitamin D supplementation helped your depression? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation on your Activities page.