Vitamin D deficiency?

[surfacing]

I've had a lot of back pain over the last few years and finally got thoroughly checked out for it. They couldn't find anything wrong except a severe vitamin D deficiency.

I was given some supplements for it, I ran out a while ago and have only just refilled my prescription but while I was taking them I imagined I felt a little bit better in terms of mood?

Wondered if anyone else has a vitamin D deficiency and if there is any correlation between that and depression/anxiety? I know it's quite common. (especially in the UK!)

Sarah x

[dazza]

Ya know... I can't make my mind up about whether vitamins are a real issue or not.

In my desperate quest for relief, amongst other things - I've been religiously sucking on all kinds of vitamins to test the theories... including the much talked about Magnesium.

When all's said and done, I don't think they've had any impact on me personally... but that's probably because I don't need them and already have a balanced system.

It could be that others do have deficiencies or an excess, and in correcting this it has made some "general" improvements, but personally, I don't think it's the ultimate answer to anxiety. At least, not for most of us anyhow.

The correct way of going about it is:

1/ Get your levels measured
2/ If necessary, take action

It's not worth chomping on a bunch of pills if they're not actually doing anything... UNLESS of course they have a placebo or positive phsychological effect, in which case... if it works then why not.

If I was to say that eating bricks cured my anxiety, like lemmings - perhaps a bunch of people would try it, believe it and agree, lol
I.e. we're looking for that cure because we think it's a physical illness, which it is not... and in desperate hope we'll try almost anything.

Anxiety symptoms are a transient reaction to either one or a host of anxious (conscious or subliminal) thoughts and are not because we have a vitamin deficiency - in my opinion.

The key to success is putting our minds at rest / eliminating those fears that bug us so.

Having said that, if vitamins help suppress the PHYSICAL symptoms (which themselves can trigger further anxiety) then there may be some benefit.

[surfacing]

I do actually have a deficiency, it's about half what it should be, and I know vit D is often related to happiness/mood at least in popular culture, so I wondered if there might be a comorbidity or higher instance of it among anxious people.

[luckydog]

I've had a lot of back pain over the last few years and finally got thoroughly checked out for it. They couldn't find anything wrong except a severe vitamin D deficiency.

I was given some supplements for it, I ran out a while ago and have only just refilled my prescription but while I was taking them I imagined I felt a little bit better in terms of mood?

Wondered if anyone else has a vitamin D deficiency and if there is any correlation between that and depression/anxiety? I know it's quite common. (especially in the UK!)

Sarah x

Yes I have to take it once a week...50,000iu's....it can cause depression and muscle weakness. My rheumatologist discovered the deficiency. I don't think it has helped my anxiety though.