Hi, I'm from India. After I started engineering, I began losing focus on studies and had no drive or motivation. Things got worse each semester. By the third semester I was diagnosed with clinical depression. The doctor gave me Prodep and another anxiety medicine. I took them for a year but didn't improve, so I told her I was fully recovered. My grades kept slipping. Later I thought I might have low testosterone and wanted a check, but kept postponing it. Just last week I got my vitamin B12, D and testosterone levels checked – all three were low. B12 was 167 pg/ml, vitamin D 21 pg/ml and total testosterone 447. I went to the doctor; he gave me a 1500 mg B12 injection and 60,000 IU vitamin D once a week, and told me to get a thyroid profile too. Even if you have depression, get your blood work done for B12, D, testosterone and thyroid. Sometimes it's not depression. Because of this I couldn't build muscle or lose fat.
I agree. I'm on SSRIs myself, and I recommend getting these checked:
1) Vitamin D
2) B12 – especially if you're vegetarian
3) Ferritin – low levels can cause cognitive problems.
These days many men have low testosterone; doctors may say 300 ng/dL is normal, but that's actually low – aim for at least 600‑700. Here are some simple ways to boost it naturally:
• Sleep at least 8 hours each night – sleep is crucial.
• Do some exercise daily – a morning walk works well.
• Lose excess weight.
• Take vitamin D3 + K2 daily – about 80 % of Indians are deficient; take it after breakfast.
• Take magnesium glycinate – magnesium supports over 300 body functions and helps you sleep if taken an hour before bed.
You can buy these two supplements from Tata 1mg; many other brands have dubious reviews and may contain heavy metals.
• Cold showers every day can improve mood and reduce depression.
Kudos to everyone who takes mental health seriously and seeks professional help. Also, vitamin D and B12 deficiencies are very common in India, so get them checked regularly and see a doctor to correct them.
I went through something similar. My vitamin D was 6 ng/ml – unbelievably low – and I felt like a dead weight with no interest in anything. After getting injections and tablets, my motivation is coming back and the change is obvious.
I don't know, bro – the curriculum back then was so poor that anyone would lose focus.
Can I get these tests done directly, or do I need a doctor's prescription? Also, is there any lab that offers a complete panel – testosterone, other hormones, vitamin levels, HDL, LDL and all the other necessary markers?
Guys, in my experience, most problems that seem like mental health issues are actually physical. Many of us think we're depressed because life is tough, but we ignore our health. Get regular blood work – not just B12 and testosterone, but a full panel. Spend 30 minutes in the sun, eat clean, keep your gut healthy, and stay active for 60‑90 minutes a day. Most mental health problems improve on their own then. About half of the happiness hormones are made in the gut; sunlight, waking up before sunrise and getting at least 7 hours of sleep can clear bad moods. Fix your health and your mind will follow.
Can you suggest genuine vitamin D, B12, magnesium glycinate and zinc supplements? I got my blood test and was low in vitamin D and B12 – the test showed 375 range. The doctor gave me B12 injections and a 60,000 IU vitamin D dose once a week, but I stopped after eight weeks and don't know if my levels improved. Also, most supplements seem like scams, even from trusted brands. I tried magnesium from Naturaletin and felt extremely tired the next day; many people reported the same and some say it's fake. Which brands are reliable for magnesium, zinc and boron?
I have a question – I got tested and my B12 was very low while vitamin D was borderline low. How long should I keep taking the capsules? It's been two months, but I haven't done a repeat test yet.
Bro, I just realized that depression is a clinical condition.