4# Hooked on – And So Are You!

Vitamin D Deficiency: The Silent Saboteur of Our Mental Health

I'm hormone-dependent! Why are you shocked? So are you! We all need cholecalciferol.

According to nutrition scientist Professor Dr. Nicolai Worm, the best time of day for vitamin D production is between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Just 15 minutes of sun exposure is enough – provided you haven't applied sunscreen beforehand. After all, even sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 10 reflects most of the sunlight, significantly reducing vitamin D production.

Many people spend long hours in front of screens and often avoid daylight – especially between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest. In addition, an increasingly industrialised diet does not always provide the body with optimal support. Such a lifestyle can gradually weaken the immune system without us immediately noticing.

The cause of a loss of energy is often initially assumed to be mental or emotional stress. In their search for solutions, some people resort to unusual measures: walls are painted in warm colours to lift their spirits, or brightly coloured clothing, such as red, is purchased to stimulate energy centres. Others get rid of old belongings, rearrange their homes or even move house when they feel their surroundings are affecting them negatively.

Yet all these measures aim to counteract the feeling of losing energy – often without recognising the underlying causes.

It Affects the Immune System and Mental Health

Sometimes, a lack of motivation is quickly interpreted as a lack of emotional or social needs being fulfilled – love, attention, security. Perhaps a close relationship that once provided strength and energy is missing, and the feeling of emptiness grows stronger over time. Self-pity can take hold, and the ability to experience happiness, or even to strive for it, begins to fade.

Over time, physical and psychological symptoms may appear: rapid exhaustion, mood swings and slower reactions during simple activities such as buttoning a button. Thoughts begin to drift, accompanied by the noticeable realisation that something is wrong. Shortness of breath, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, muscle tremors – all of these can occur and create the impression of severe depression.

Panic attacks may also develop, manifesting in physical and psychological reactions: nighttime hallucinations or the feeling of not being alone in a room. What initially seems harmless can escalate into intense fear, making it impossible to fall asleep. Many people experiencing such symptoms turn to antidepressants because they see no other way out.

What is often overlooked is the possibility that these symptoms could have physical causes – such as a vitamin D deficiency. Because such a wide variety of symptoms can easily point to other illnesses, self-diagnosis is difficult. Self-analysis, often supported by online research, frequently leads to incorrect conclusions, such as the suspicion of diabetes.

This shows how important it is to pay attention to physical warning signs and seek professional help instead of jumping to conclusions.

A study conducted by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, USA, established a connection between vitamin D and psychological well-being as early as 2006.

When a troubled mind resides in a healthy body, a blood test should always be considered first!

The Happiness Hormone

Only 40% of Germans have adequate vitamin D levels. But what about the other 60%? Many of them might mistakenly believe they are suffering from depression. In fact, doctors often tend to prescribe antidepressants – including herbal alternatives – for complaints such as mood swings and exhaustion. Patients are quickly placed into the category of being "mentally ill".

One reason for this is that many people are reluctant to pay for a blood test. They consider around 30 euros for a vitamin D test too expensive. Yet this very examination could be a worthwhile investment in their own health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 350 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Among young people, the risk of depression doubles when vitamin D levels are too low.

Vitamin D is essential because it protects our nervous system and influences our psychological well-being. It regulates serotonin levels, which are important for information processing in the brain, and increases dopamine levels, which support our ability to learn. Dopamine is converted into noradrenaline with the help of an enzyme – a substance responsible for alertness and appropriate reactions in dangerous situations. These processes in the brain have profound effects on our mental state.

Happiness may not be available on prescription, but vitamin D deficiency can be treated. An adequate supply of vitamin D is not a cure-all, but it is an important step towards better managing physical and psychological symptoms.

For information about risks and side effects, read the package leaflet and consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Anastasia Weimer