Although the importance of B vitamins has long been recognized from a nervous standpoint, the involvement of vitamin D at this level has only recently been recognized.
Yet, vitamin D deficiency is another major biological factor that has a significant impact on mental health. In 2006, a study of 15 elderly people all had vitamin D levels below 20 ng/ml. These individuals were found to be significantly more depressed than those with higher vitamin D levels. It should be noted that a level of 20 ng/ml constitutes a serious deficiency. In 2007, another study of people with depression, anxiety, and fibromyalgia showed that they were all vitamin D deficient.
This vitamin is also known to be involved in seasonal mood disorders
This was confirmed in 2008 by a double-blind clinical trial which concluded: "There appears to be a significant relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and symptoms of depression. Supplementation with high doses of vitamin D appears to improve these symptoms confirming this correlation. "
More recently, researchers have highlighted that vitamin D deficiency below 20 ng/ml gives an 85% increased risk of depression compared to people with levels above 30 ng/ml.
Even more recently in 2011, a remarkable study explains, "Effective detection and treatment to restore inadequate vitamin D levels significantly improves depression and other mental health conditions over the long term. This gives patients a much better quality of life. "
A healthy population with sufficient exposure to natural sunlight has optimal physical and mental health provided that blood levels of vitamin D are between 50 and 70 ng/ml.
So if you are depressed, a good tip is to check your vitamin D level to correct it if it is insufficient, even in small amounts.
Getting fresh air, oxygen and sun exposure in an intelligent way is the ideal solution and prevention.
A food supplement of quality vitamin D3 is also a good preventive or curative measure. If you are going for a vitamin D supplement, it is ideal to combine vitamin K2 and magnesium. These 2 nutritional elements work in tandem and are inseparable.
There are a lot of solutions natural before opting for a chemical treatment that is similar to real drugs.
The side effects in antidepressants and other neuroleptics are excessively heavy. These treatments induce an addiction that is very difficult to wean oneself from.
Another entirely natural way to regain energy and morale is to practice sports
In fact, physical exercise helps to normalize insulin levels while simultaneously stimulating the well-being hormones secreted in the brain. The researchers also found that exercise allows the body to eliminate a harmful protein (kynurenine) directly linked to depression.
The inflammatory state always exists during depression. This state generates kynurenine due to the activation of certain inflammatory factors.
Exercise, good nutrition and restoration of good intestinal flora can prevent this inflammatory state, as can the consumption of high quality omega-3 fish or krill. These essential fatty acids allow the brain and the cell membranes of neurons to function optimally. Once the brain and neurons are functioning better, the symptoms of depression inevitably diminish.
Vitamin B12 deficiency may also contribute to depression.
One last thing,it is essential to get enough quality sleep. The link between depression and sleep deprivation has been firmly established. Currently, nearly 18 million Americans are experiencing depression and more than half of them struggle with insomnia.
Insomnia was long thought to be one of the symptoms of depression; however, it appears that in some cases insomnia precedes depression. Recent research has also shown that targeted sleep therapy results in remarkable improvement in depressed patients.
What we need to remember is that depression is the result of an inappropriate lifestyle coupled with the disruption of certain physiological factors rather than biochemical abnormalities of neurotransmission.
Thus, by acting on one's lifestyle and by adopting a few new habits, one can undoubtedly prevent and escape depression.