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4 Vitamins You Should Be Supplementing with When You Have Depression

by — 2019-06-29 in Mental Health
Nutritional supplements won't cure depression, but they can indeed play an important part in lifting your mood. What vitamins should you consider?

Nobody gets through life without getting the blues. Maybe you put your beloved dog to sleep, or went through a rough breakup or divorce. You feel sad and down for a while. Then you get a new dog or find a new lover and the world seems right again! That isn’t depression. People with depression don’t bounce back or find joy with life’s pleasures.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is defined as a common and serious medical illness that negatively affects how you feel, the way you think, and how you act. With depression, you will have many of the symptoms below for at least two weeks:

  • Loss of interest in hobbies and work
  • Appetite changes with weight gain or loss
  • Persistent feeling of sadness
  • Changes in sleep (as in too much or too little)
  • Lack of concentration
  • Feelings of worthlessness or suicide
I should note that clinical depression needs to be evaluated and diagnosed by a professional health care provider. The good news is that depression can usually be treated with therapy and medication. Often a health professional will also suggest exercise, diet changes and supplements to help with therapy. If a doctor has diagnosed you with depression, there are several vitamins you should look in to.

Vitamin D

They don’t call vitamin D the sunshine vitamin for no reason! Not only does your body manufacture vitamin D from the sun, it can make your mood feel sunny. Many people know they need vitamin D to help build strong bones, but most people don’t realize this powerhouse supplement boosts your brain’s performance and improves your overall welfare. In fact, it has been shown that a deficiency promotes cancer, inflammation, vascular diseases and viral infections like the flu.

Vitamin D is so important to our bodies because it acts more like a hormone than vitamin. We have Vitamin D receptors all over our bodies, including our brain. Once in the brain, it seems to stimulate production of serotonin (the feel-good hormone that depressed people often lack).

Our bodies manufacture Vitamin D from sunshine. Experts recommend about 15 minutes a day of full sun without sunscreen. Doctors also suggest supplementation by mouth for those who are deficient. The USDA recommends 600 International Units per day. However, since people with depression are often very low in this critical vitamin, I would suggest visiting your doctor for a blood test and letting them adjust your dosage.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays an essential role in making red blood cells, nerves and DNA. Low levels of B-12 are common and can produce a tingling or numbness in your extremities, general weakness and depression. People who are vegetarians, elderly or depressed are often not getting enough vitamin B12 to stay energetic and happy. B12 cannot be produced in your body, so you must get it though diet or supplementation.

Grains are a good source of B12, but many people don’t extract the vitamin from food well. If you suspect you are low on B12, a multi-vitamin containing the spectrum of B vitamins should be fine. The USDA recommends 2.4mcg per day. If you suspect you have very low levels, your doctor should run a blood test to check. You may need B12 shots or higher doses by mouth. High levels of B12 can interfere with certain medications, so please check with your pharmacist or doctor first.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 also known as pyrodoxine, is another water-soluble vitamin used in the regulating of your metabolism. Low B-6 causes itchy scaly skin, anemia, confusion and depression. Like B12, it is not produced in the body. B6 is found in many foods including poultry, starchy vegetables and various fruits. B6 helps your body make serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are linked to depression. Unlike B12, the population is not widely deficient in B6. But if you are depressed and have any other symptoms that suggest you are low in B6, get your levels checked.

High levels of B6 can also interfere with certain medications, so again, please check with your pharmacist or doctor before taking high doses. The USDA recommends about 1.5mcg per day.

B9 (folate)

Folate (or folic acid) is another water-soluble vitamin in the B family. Folate is used to make red and white blood cells and is used in many functions for our metabolism. It’s found in beef liver, vegetables and fortified foods. Like B12, low folate is often found in the population, especially in those diagnosed with depression.

Insufficient folate can be hard to detect as the signs are vague and can be easily attributed to other aliments. Most people found to be low in folate report weakness, headaches, irritability and depression. However, if you have been diagnosed with depression, it’s worth making sure low folate isn’t contributing to the problem. Research shows that both B12 and B9 Folate help anti-depressants work better.

The USDA recommendation is 400mcg daily which is easily found in a multi-vitamin. However, researchers recommend 800mcg taken with 1mg of B12 for depressed patients.

In conclusion

Being depressed is a serious medical condition. Along with medical intervention, research shows you should consider the above vitamins as part of your daily regimen. Stay with recommended amounts and avoid mega-doses unless you are under a doctor’s care.

Sources & Links

  • Photo courtesy of SteadyHealth

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