Vitamin D Supplementation During Winter: Effects On Stress Resilience

[Mito]

Vitamin D Supplementation during Winter: Effects on Stress Resilience in a Randomized Control Trial
Anita L Hansen 1 2, Gina Ambroziak 3, David Thornton 3 4, James C Mundt 3, Rachel E Kahn 3, Lisbeth Dahl 5, Leif Waage 2, Daniel Kattenbraker 3, Pedro Araujo 5, Robert Murison 6, Knut Rypdal 2, Bjørn Grung 7
Abstract

Vitamin D status may be important for stress resilience. This study investigated the effects of vitamin D supplements during winter on biological markers of stress resilience such as psychophysiological activity, serotonin, and cortisol in a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Eighty-six participants were randomly assigned to the Intervention (vitamin D) or Control (placebo) groups. Before and after the intervention participants were exposed to an experimental stress procedure. Psychophysiological activity was measured during three main conditions: baseline, stress, and recovery. Fasting blood samples were taken in the morning and saliva samples were collected at seven different time points across 24 h. Prior to intervention both groups had normal/sufficient vitamin D levels. Both groups showed a normal pattern of psychophysiological responses to the experimental stress procedure (i.e., increased psychophysiological responses from resting baseline to stress-condition, and decreased psychophysiological responses from stress-condition to recovery; all p < 0.009). Post-intervention, the Intervention group showed increased vitamin D levels (p < 0.001) and normal psychophysiological responses to the experimental stress procedure (p < 0.001). Importantly, the Control group demonstrated a classic nadir in vitamin D status post-intervention (spring) (p < 0.001) and did not show normal psychophysiological responses. Thus, physiologically the Control group showed a sustained stress response. No significant effects of vitamin D were found on serotonin and cortisol.
Vitamin D Supplementation during Winter: Effects on Stress Resilience in a Randomized Control Trial - PubMed

 

[lvysaur]

Personal anecdote:

back in March I had a level of 17 ng/L, started sunbathing + 8000 IU a day to increase it. Several tests, the level didn't budge

For Oct/November, I've been supplementing nothing, and feeling better than usual. Got tested, level was 26 ng/L.

I assume this is something to do with liver or kidney conversion of vitamin D precursors

 

[Maljam]

Personal anecdote:

back in March I had a level of 17 ng/L, started sunbathing + 8000 IU a day to increase it. Several tests, the level didn't budge

For Oct/November, I've been supplementing nothing, and feeling better than usual. Got tested, level was 26 ng/L.

I assume this is something to do with liver or kidney conversion of vitamin D precursors

I have had similar experiences in the past, where my levels dropped after a couple of months of regular sun bathing and topical vitamin D. Has your diet changed in this time?

Peat has mentioned before he thought deficiencies of other vitamins prevented vitamin d levels rising and said "liver avoiders" he knew couldn't raise their levels until they started eating liver. I wonder if perhaps choline, cholesterol, or a b vitamin is responsible, or improvement in liver or kidneys like you said.

 

[Maljam]

Vitamin D Supplementation during Winter: Effects on Stress Resilience in a Randomized Control Trial
Anita L Hansen 1 2, Gina Ambroziak 3, David Thornton 3 4, James C Mundt 3, Rachel E Kahn 3, Lisbeth Dahl 5, Leif Waage 2, Daniel Kattenbraker 3, Pedro Araujo 5, Robert Murison 6, Knut Rypdal 2, Bjørn Grung 7
Abstract

Vitamin D status may be important for stress resilience. This study investigated the effects of vitamin D supplements during winter on biological markers of stress resilience such as psychophysiological activity, serotonin, and cortisol in a placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial. Eighty-six participants were randomly assigned to the Intervention (vitamin D) or Control (placebo) groups. Before and after the intervention participants were exposed to an experimental stress procedure. Psychophysiological activity was measured during three main conditions: baseline, stress, and recovery. Fasting blood samples were taken in the morning and saliva samples were collected at seven different time points across 24 h. Prior to intervention both groups had normal/sufficient vitamin D levels. Both groups showed a normal pattern of psychophysiological responses to the experimental stress procedure (i.e., increased psychophysiological responses from resting baseline to stress-condition, and decreased psychophysiological responses from stress-condition to recovery; all p < 0.009). Post-intervention, the Intervention group showed increased vitamin D levels (p < 0.001) and normal psychophysiological responses to the experimental stress procedure (p < 0.001). Importantly, the Control group demonstrated a classic nadir in vitamin D status post-intervention (spring) (p < 0.001) and did not show normal psychophysiological responses. Thus, physiologically the Control group showed a sustained stress response. No significant effects of vitamin D were found on serotonin and cortisol.
Vitamin D Supplementation during Winter: Effects on Stress Resilience in a Randomized Control Trial - PubMed

Amount of vitamin D used in the study was 1600 IU.

 

[reality]

I have had similar experiences in the past, where my levels dropped after a couple of months of regular sun bathing and topical vitamin D. Has your diet changed in this time?

Peat has mentioned before he thought deficiencies of other vitamins prevented vitamin d levels rising and said "liver avoiders" he knew couldn't raise their levels until they started eating liver. I wonder if perhaps choline, cholesterol, or a b vitamin is responsible, or improvement in liver or kidneys like you said.

magnesium is a huge factor in vitamin d conversion

 

[lvysaur]

Peat has mentioned before he thought deficiencies of other vitamins prevented vitamin d levels rising and said "liver avoiders" he knew couldn't raise their levels until they started eating liver.

Amazing. I had liver a few weeks back before I got tested. Until then, I hadn't had it for months. I'll experiment with it again and check back.

Just curious but do you have the exact quote or source where Peat said this?

 

[Maljam]

Amazing. I had liver a few weeks back before I got tested. Until then, I hadn't had it for months. I'll experiment with it again and check back.

Just curious but do you have the exact quote or source where Peat said this?

I think it was in the email depository on the forum.

Found it:

Ray Peat Email Advice Depository

 

[lvysaur]

magnesium is a huge factor in vitamin d conversion

I actually stopped supplementing magnesium for the month before I tested high in D.

I think it was in the email depository on the forum.

Thanks. My guess is it's not the choline/cholesterol, because I had been eating eggs earlier with no difference.

 

[Rafael Lao Wai]

Personal anecdote:

back in March I had a level of 17 ng/L, started sunbathing + 8000 IU a day to increase it. Several tests, the level didn't budge

For Oct/November, I've been supplementing nothing, and feeling better than usual. Got tested, level was 26 ng/L.

I assume this is something to do with liver or kidney conversion of vitamin D precursors

I'm pretty sure Danny Roddy mentioned, I think in one of the latest livestreams that people who were eating a lot of organs( vitamin A) on the Paleo Medicina diet( basically a very high fat, carnivore diet) got really high levels of vitamin D in their blood after months of eating a lot of liver.

 

[Mito]

magnesium is a huge factor in vitamin d conversion

Study Shows Magnesium Optimizes Vitamin D Status

 

[Recoen]

Personal anecdote:

back in March I had a level of 17 ng/L, started sunbathing + 8000 IU a day to increase it. Several tests, the level didn't budge

For Oct/November, I've been supplementing nothing, and feeling better than usual. Got tested, level was 26 ng/L.

I assume this is something to do with liver or kidney conversion of vitamin D precursors

Did you take the 8000iu topically or by mouth? If by mouth @haidut said in a Jodellefit podcast the liver will preferentially hold onto it so it can take months to see an increase.