The benefits of vitamin D – from head to toe

When taken with fish oil, vitamin D is a powerful mood booster, according to a study published in the FASEB journal. The aptly named ‘sunshine vitamin’ improves mood and lowers depression by aiding the conversion of the essential amino acid tryptophan into serotonin – a brain chemical that regulates mood. But that’s not all! Vitamin D improves memory and cognitive functions in older women, according to a separate study published in Journals of Gerontology A. Meanwhile, previous research has found it may also have some protective effects against Alzheimer’s disease.