It helps regulate adrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin production in the brain. Therefore, yes, a lack of vitamin D can cause hormone imbalances. Symptoms you'll typically notice include depression, hot flashes, and mood swings.
The reduction in sex hormones among the women with the highest levels of vitamin D was observed even after taking into account how much weight the women lost, showing that the vitamin D had an independent effect on hormone levels, regardless of pounds shed.
The Importance of Vitamin D
Estrogen imbalance: Vitamin D deficiency may lead to lowered estrogen levels, which can cause depression, hot flashes, mood swings and more. Impaired immune system: Vitamin D deficiency may lead to an impaired immune system, putting women at an increased risk of infection and illness.
When vitamin D levels are extremely low in the body, the parathyroid gland is affected and usually tries to compensate by releasing more of the parathyroid hormone. This hormone normally deposits calcium into bone. Vitamin D causes calcium to be absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream.
It's also worth mentioning here that vitamin D is thought to be able to activate the synthesis of serotonin, a neurotransmitter and hormone that, similar to dopamine, can help to improve your mood.
The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause nausea and vomiting, weakness, and frequent urination. Vitamin D toxicity might progress to bone pain and kidney problems, such as the formation of calcium stones.
The liver and kidneys convert vitamin D (produced in the skin and taken up in the diet), into the active hormone, which is called calcitriol. Active vitamin D helps to increase the amount of calcium the gut can absorb from eaten food into the bloodstream and also prevents calcium loss from the kidneys.
Probiotics, B vitamins, lecithin, and botanicals — like black cohosh and vitex — are useful in regulating hormone levels. These supplements can reduce symptoms of a hormonal imbalance, including (but not limited to) PMS, irregular or heavy menses, low sex drive, infertility, and weight gain.
Vitamin D deficiency is very common in women of reproductive age which may affect menstrual cycle length due to a pronged follicular phase causing delayed ovulation.
A: The upper tolerable limit is 4,000 international units (IU) daily, and the recommended amount for women 14 to 70 is 600 IU per day. Women 71 and older should aim for 800 IU per day.
Other causes include vitamin D deficiency and caffeine excess, which can lead to estrogen dominance.
The effect of equivalent oral doses of vitamin D3 600 IU/day, 4200 IU/week and 18,000 IU/month on vitamin D status was compared in a randomized clinical trial in nursing home residents. A daily dose was more effective than a weekly dose, and a monthly dose was the least effective.
Can vitamin D affect mood? Yes, vitamin D does appear to play a slight role in mood regulation, although the jury is still out regarding its effect on depression. One study found that vitamin D supplements could improve anxiety but did not find that they affected depression ( 26 ).
A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to lower estrogen levels, which can cause depression, hot flashes, mood swings, and much more. Parathyroid hormone imbalance. A vitamin D deficiency limits your body's ability to regulate calcium levels, which your parathyroid controls.
Symptoms when vitamin D is low
Fatigue. Not sleeping well. Bone pain or achiness. Depression or feelings of sadness.
Vitamin D deficiency may manifest in a variety of ways, including fatigue, back pain, hair loss, poor wound healing, and symptoms of depression.
In adults, severe vitamin D deficiency leads to osteomalacia. Osteomalacia causes weak bones, bone pain, and muscle weakness.
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of a hormone imbalance. Excess progesterone can make you sleepy. And if your thyroid -- the butterfly-shaped gland in your neck -- makes too little thyroid hormone, it can sap your energy. A simple blood test called a thyroid panel can tell you if your levels are too low.
Magnesium is critically necessary to treat all hormonal imbalance issues – including PMS, PCOS, thyroid conditions, perimenopause, anxiety, and adrenal fatigue.
How Long Does It Take for Vitamin D to Work? If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you may notice improvements within 4-6 weeks of consistent supplementation. However, that timeframe can vary depending on what your baseline vitamin D levels are.
There are quite a few differences between vitamin D and vitamin D3, but the main difference between them is that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that regulates calcium and phosphorous levels in the body, whereas the vitamin D3 is the natural form of vitamin D produced by the body from sunlight.