'Tis the season.

My family just switched to sunrise simulation alarm clock lights, and I'll start squirting vitamin D in my coffee milk soon.

In Europe, winter darkness is a bitch. Don't take chances with your health.

I thought it was common knowledge that people with darker skin living further from the Equator have a higher chance of getting vitamin D deficiency and should take supplements. Just like people with lighter skin living closer to the Equator have a higher chance of getting skin cancer and should apply additional sun protection. We have all these adaptations for a reason

Having darker skin and living in a high latitude, especially one where it's not always sunny and inviting to be outside in short sleeves/shorts can lead to this. I am outside a lot, but far enough north that soon I will not get any Vitamin D from the sun - I take a daily supplement, it's cheap insurance. Costco sells 600 for $12.50.

How is it possible that the football player mentioned in the article can suffer from a deficiency level that's severe enough to collapse?

I would expect that regularly being outside (for practice) and a normal balanced diet would be sufficient to at least get by in a country like the UK. Some depressive/lower energy symptoms during winter time, maybe, but nothing so severe as collapsing.

Shouldn't this problem show up in a much larger portion of the population? Or do very physically active individuals require more Vitamin D?

My brother after moving to NYC from LA suffered from depression during winter each year. Turns out his Vitamin D levels were also extremely low. Once he started supplementing he felt a lot better. Something to also consider and check if you yourself are affected by seasonal depression.

It's amazing how many different vitamins and minerals we really need to get for optimal health, compared to what we actually do get and are able to muddle along for some time with.

Vitamin D is something its easier to find and still people end up deficient and don't realize it. I think it's particularly telling how the article notes the deficiency can start in the mother and immediately be passed along to a child. How do children grow with inadequate foods? Are we collectively failing to reach our potential?

I started taking vitamin D (D3) because one side of my family has a lot of cancer. Within a couple of days, my mood had stabilized and overall improved. Thinking about it when I noticed this, the only thing that had changed for me was taking the vitamin D.

I’ve since observed that when I run out of vitamin D or forget to take it for several days, my mood slowly declines again. Resumption of vitamin D reverses this.

I did not go into this with any knowledge of such an effect. And the vitamin D influence is stronger in this regard than what I’ve experienced from any (legal) drug. That said, it’s hardly overwhelming. Just a bit more resilience and a bit of protection from feeling overwhelmed.

I now take it in combination with K2 as I’ve heard/read K2 helps keep too much of your calcium from being mobilized by the vitamin D.

The D3 isomer is said to be significantly more bio-available than D1 and D2. And, overdosing does have significant negative consequences over time. So, do your research — and I’m not going to suggest any specific dosages.

But after largely negative experiences with what the pharmaceutical industry has to offer, D3 has been an inexpensive and valuable contribution to my well-being.

I thought recent research concluded that supplementation doesn’t actually work, and that vitamin D may be a read hearing and it’s actually just a byproduct of the true benefit (proper) sun exposure

Forgive me, I have no link, I feel like medical and nutrition advice changes 180 daily.

Does this ring a bell to anyone?