Often called "the sunshine vitamin" because your body manufactures it during exposure to ultraviolet light, vitamin D is necessary for optimal bone growth and health. As demonstrated in a January, 2011, "Mayo Clinic Proceedings" review, an array of other properties have been attributed to vitamin D in recent years, including potentially beneficial effects on immunity, diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D may even play a role in maintaining normal brain function.
Vitamin D Receptors
According to a 2011 report in "Experimental Dermatology," vitamin D affects the function of every tissue in your body. Vitamin D receptors on nearly all of your cells allow this nutrient to function like a hormone, controlling the flux of calcium across your cell membranes. Since calcium levels within a cell are intimately linked to its function, vitamin D's stimulation of receptors on a cell's surface greatly influences what occurs inside the cell. Controlled calcium flux is particularly important to electrically-active cells, such as muscle and nerve cells.
Vitamin D and the Brain
A 2009 review in "Current Psychiatry Reports" discusses the various ways that vitamin D can influence the activities of your brain. By stimulating the release of proteins called neurotrophins, vitamin D activates brain centers that control behavior and mood. Vitamin D also shields your brain cells from oxidative damage and improves overall metabolic and cardiovascular health, which contributes to brain health. These activities may be diminished among individuals, such as the elderly, whose levels of vitamin D are lower than normal.
Vitamin D and Depression
In 2007, a "Medical Hypotheses" paper suggested a connection between low levels of vitamin D and mood disorders, such as depression. Other studies have established a possible link between vitamin D insufficiency and depression, bipolar disorder and even schizophrenia. A December 2008, clinical trial, published in the "Journal of Internal Medicine," demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation led to an improvement in depressive symptoms among overweight individuals.
Precautions
Vitamin D's influence on bone health is now recognized to be only one of its functions. In fact, vitamin D has been renamed "the iceberg vitamin" by researchers who believe that many more properties will be assigned to this nutrient in the future. However, at the present time, vitamin D's role in depression and other mood disorders is speculative. Taking too much vitamin D in an effort to control depression can lead to vitamin D toxicity. If you suffer from depression and think vitamin D might be helpful for you, talk with your doctor about dosage and side effects.
References
- "Mayo Clinic Proceedings"; Vitamin D Insufficiency; T.D. Thacher, B.L. Clarke; 2011
- "Experimental Dermatology"; Vitamin D: An Ancient Hormone; D.D. Bikle; 2011
- "Current Psychiatry Reports"; Some New Food for Thought: The Role of Vitamin D in the Mental Health of Older Adults; E.P. Cherniak, et al.; 2009
- "Medical Hypotheses"; Vitamin D Deficiency May Play a Role in Depression; M. Berk, et al.; 2007
- "Journal of Internal Medicine"; Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Symptoms of Depression in Overweight and Obese Subjects: Randomized Double Blind Trial; R. Jorde, et al.; 2008
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