As daylight hours shorten and temperatures plummet, feelings of sadness and fatigue may set in. Depression is a major health problem that affected 28 million people worldwide in 2019. in the same year 10 million Americans I experienced a specific type of depressive disorder during the winter. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is associated with specific seasons, such as fall and winter. nutrient.
chronic sadness, Social withdrawal and difficulty concentratingThoughts of death or suicide, changes in appetite, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, anxiety and oversleeping, and decreased sex drive are all symptoms of SAD. Most cases begin in late fall or early winter, but in rare cases some people experience symptoms of depression in the spring and summer. This is also known as summer SAD or summer depression.
Research on how to prevent and treat SAD varies, and although taking vitamin D may help with symptoms, studies do not show consistent results in treating SAD. However, adding vitamin D to your diet, spending time outdoors, and talking to your health care provider may help you manage these symptoms.
Vitamin D from Foods and Supplements
Exposure to sunlight allows your body to absorb vitamin D, which may help prevent and treat SAD symptoms. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Reviews and Research. However, during winter, access to the sun is limited. By choosing a specific diet, we can still access this essential nutrient.
Tuna, salmon, and eggs are foods rich in vitamin D. nutrientParticipants who received intravenous vitamin D experienced relief from depressive symptoms associated with SAD compared to those who took a placebo.. Because research on vitamin D supplements does not provide consistent results, adding vitamin D-rich foods to your diet is more reliable than store-bought supplements in addressing SAD symptoms.
zinc and depression
Zinc has antidepressant effects, although it has not been directly correlated with treating SAD symptoms. Zinc is an antioxidant. mental healthReduces brain function and inflammation. Zinc deficiency can cause symptoms of depression, anxiety-like behavior, and even Higher risk of suicidal thoughts.
Zinc also has a synergistic relationship with vitamin D. Acts as a cofactor for vitamin D function and Helps vitamin D function within human cells. The combination of zinc and vitamin D has been shown to be more effective in reducing symptoms of depression than vitamin D alone. nutrition.
Insufficient zinc levels may also cause: Low levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the brainBecause GABA is directly linked to blocking signals of fear, stress, and anxiety, zinc supplementation may improve anxiety.
More research is needed
More research is still needed to understand how SAD symptoms can be treated and prevented. Focusing on nutrients can be helpful, but we need to understand more about mood disorders.
Recent research It shows that carotenoids can potentially treat and prevent depression based on their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments that can be found in certain varieties of yellow, dark green, and red fruits and vegetables, such as kale, melons, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
In particular, astaxanthin, a red carotenoid pigment that occurs naturally in marine life such as algae, may be effective in treating mental illness. Frontiers in Pharmacology. Additional clinical trials are needed to understand Benefits of Astaxanthin About symptoms of depression in humans Early studies in mice I have promised.
If you are struggling with SAD, talk to your healthcare provider first to understand the right treatment for you.
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Our writers discovermagazine.com We use peer-reviewed research and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review them for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Please review the sources used in this article below.
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