Do Vitamins for Seasonal Depression Work?

Written by Lori Jo Vest

Fact checked by The Brain Blog Team

Do Vitamins for Seasonal Depression Work?

In areas of the United States that experience reduced sunlight during the fall and winter months, many people are looking for ways to treat their “winter blues” or seasonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. You may wonder, do vitamins for seasonal depression work?

According to the National Institutes of Health, "Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern, with symptoms most often starting in the late fall and early winter and going away in the spring and summer." People who experience it describe feeling sad, depressed, lethargy, low energy, insomnia, loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, feelings of hopelessness, and even frequent thoughts of death or suicide.

Recommended Treatments for Seasonal Depression

Scientists at the Mayo Clinic recommend the following treatment modalities for Seasonal Affective Disorder:

Light Therapy

Using a special lightbox to expose yourself to bright light in the first few waking hours mimics natural outdoor light and positively impacts brain chemistry that controls mood. Light therapy is a typical first-line treatment for SAD that begins to appear in the fall. It may take a few weeks before you notice a difference in how you feel. It's best to ask your physician for their recommendation on how to use the lightbox.

Prescription Medications

When Seasonal Depression is severe, antidepressant treatment may be recommended. It may take several weeks to notice a difference, and you may need to try a few different pharmaceuticals before you find one that works best for you.

Psychotherapy

Talk therapy, also known as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help reduce negative thought patterns, learn new coping mechanisms, and create new ways to manage life's stressors. All of these factors can help you better handle any type of depression, including SAD. Relaxation Techniques: Many people find success with non-traditional therapies that work on the mind-body connection, like yoga, tai chi, music therapy, or therapeutic art classes.

Vitamins or Supplements

Medical research finds Vitamin D is deficient in people who live in geographical areas that don't get much sun exposure. National Institutes of Health research has also shown that people who suffer seasonal depression respond with better moods when taking a Vitamin D supplement.


So, do vitamins for seasonal depression work? Apparently so.

Besides the NIH research referenced here about Vitamin D, there are many other vitamins and brain health supplements that can help alleviate seasonal depression, improve cognitive function, and even help stave off future dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Some healthy lifestyle experts recommend supplementing Omega-3 fatty acids for seasonal depression. Omega-3s have been shown to help regulate the brain chemicals dopamine and serotonin, aka “the feel good hormones,” which can alleviate symptoms of depression.

One example of a well-researched supplement that does all of those things is Memory Health, proven in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials and the first supplement to receive a patent for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disease. The Memory Health brain health supplement has been clinically proven to improve cognitive functions, memory, improvement in vision, focus, clarity, and mood.

The Gold Standard of Brain Supplementation

Memory Health® was tested and proven in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials, becoming the first supplement to receive a patent for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disease, specifically Alzheimer's and dementia. It has been clinically proven to improve cognitive functions and memory . Other tested benefits include improvement in sight, focus, clarity, and mood.

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