Private MD News

The reason behind the winter blues

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

The days may be starting to get longer, but the sun is still weak in many parts of the country that are at higher latitudes. This could contribute to persistently low vitamin D levels for many people. Vitamin D testing may help Northerners know if they could benefit from visiting a doctor to receive treatment for the condition.

Vitamin D is actually a hormone that is produced in the skin following exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation. When levels get low, people's moods may worsen. Studies have tied to the nutrient to feelings of happiness

Molly McLaughlin, a psychotherapist with Central Wisconsin Counseling Associates, recently wrote in the Wisconsin Rapid Tribune that low levels of vitamin D often result in feelings of sadness, commonly known as seasonal affective disorder.

She said that feelings of sadness, loss of interest, social withdrawal, excessive sleepiness, irritability and overeating are all symptoms of the condition. Anyone who experiences these conditions may benefit from vitamin D testing.

As much as 5 percent of the U.S. adult population experiences seasonal affective disorder, according to Medicine Net.