Posted on November 12, 2013 by Amen Clinics

Full Story:  http://www.amenclinics.com/dr-amen/blog/2013/11/vitamin-d-deficiency-may-cause-hallucinations/

While the general debate around vitamin D supplementation continues, new studies steadily emerge, demonstrating the very serious health implications that may result from deficiency.

Vitamin D’s nickname as the “sunshine vitamin” leads some people to assume that exposure to sunlight will provide all the D we need.  The unfortunate truth is that lifestyle changes such as spending more time in front of the computer and television, poor nutrition, and the increased use of sunscreen have all been factors in the dramatic rise in vitamin D deficiency,

along with air pollution that blocks the essential UVB rays needed to synthesize vitamin D in the skin.

According to this article  from 2012, – an estimated 1 billion people – now suffer with a deficiency of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D is critical for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, yet countless studies have connected deficiency to: all causes of mortality along with reduced immunity, many forms of cancer, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and a variety of psychiatric issues including depression and most recently, psychosis; a general term that refers to “losing touch with reality,” with symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and sometimes violence.

This study published in the November issue of Schizophrenia Research recently caught my eye:

The study looked at nearly 140 people; 69 patients presenting with their first episode of psychosis, and 69 healthy controls, matched for age, sex, and ethnicity.

• The findings demonstrated that the patients presenting with psychosis were nearly 3 times as likely to have vitamin D deficiency than the healthy controls.

Although the researchers were unsure whether the deficiency was part of the illness or merely the result of lifestyle choices that could lead to its emergence, the findings of this study are notable.

Another study published this past summer reported that vitamin D deficiency was found in a shocking 75% of patients admitted to an Illinois psychiatric ward between December 2010 and June 2011.   I also have observed this trend in my patients over the years, which is why vitamin D is one nutrient that I suggest everyone know their level of, and optimize if low.

At the Amen Clinics, we see the condition of every patient as a result of many influencing factors, all of which can have an impact on mental health.  Our “Four Circles” diagnostic approach includes taking your detailed personal history, brain SPECT studies, and a full lab workup that includes testing your vitamin D level, in addition to many other biological factors that are essential to brain health.

The Amen Clinics Method has been proven to get better results for patients than most conventional approaches to psychiatry, even for those with complicated cases.  Watch this video to learn more: