Our only hard recommendation: Avoid supplementing with vitamin D at night. There's evidence that vitamin D can suppress melatonin—which is bad news for your sleep quality.
There's no set time of day that's best to take vitamin D supplements. Some people say taking vitamin D supplements at night is an insomnia risk. There's no research to confirm this, but you might want to take your supplement earlier in the day if you think it's screwing with your sleep.
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].
“Digestion slows down during sleep, so taking your nutrient supplement late at night would not be associated with an efficient absorption.” Neil Levin, a clinical nutritionist at NOW Foods, agrees that morning is best for multivitamins and any B vitamins.
Is there a benefit to taking vitamin D at night? There's been some buzz suggesting a link between supplementing with vitamin D before bedtime and the ability to drift off to dreamland. Some studies have shown that vitamin D is connected to the production of melatonin, which regulates circadian rhythm and drives sleep.
Although there is no adequate scientific evidence on how vitamin D supplementation at night may affect sleep, health professionals recommend it is best to take vitamin D in the morning. ⁵ Taking it at night interferes with melatonin production, affecting sleep quality.
As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D is stored in your body fat and liver. Excess levels of vitamin D in your system can lead to an array of complications and symptoms, including weakness and fatigue.
The best time to soak yourself in the sun to get the maximum vitamin D is between 10 am to 3 pm. At this time, the UVB rays are intense and it is also said that the body is more efficient in making vitamin D at this time.
Once serum concentrations of vitamin D are greater than 100 ng/ml there maybe adverse effects to health which can include insomnia. Some may even begin to experience effects at levels greater than 80 ng/ml.
Vitamin D keeps your immune system strong and can help regulate insulin levels. It keeps your energy levels up and enhances your mood, too.
Vitamin D does not directly give you energy however studies have shown that vitamin D can increase energy levels from within the cells of your body and that excessive fatigue and tiredness may be caused as a result of a vitamin D deficiency.
While the best timing has not been established, scientific data to confirm anecdotal reports that supplementing at night may interfere with sleep is unavailable. Current research suggests you can fit vitamin D into your routine whenever you prefer.
Based on numerous studies, night shift workers should consider taking 2000-5000 IU/d vitamin D3 and raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels to 40-60 ng/ml. This may help to compensate for the effects on bone density of reduced sun exposure.
Take vitamin D by mouth as directed. Vitamin D is best absorbed when taken after a meal but may be taken with or without food. Alfacalcidol is usually taken with food. Follow all directions on the product package.
How Long Does It Take for Vitamin D to Work? If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you may notice improvements within 4-6 weeks of consistent supplementation. However, that timeframe can vary depending on what your baseline vitamin D levels are.
Muscle weakness due to vitamin D deficiency is predominantly of the proximal muscle groups and is manifested by a feeling of heaviness in the legs, tiring easily, and difficulty in mounting stairs and rising from a chair; the deficiency is reversible with supplementation (15–18).
Vitamin D may regulate mood and reduce depression
Research has shown that vitamin D might play an important role in regulating mood and decreasing the risk of depression. A review of 7,534 people found that those experiencing negative emotions who received vitamin D supplements noticed an improvement in symptoms.
Our results showed that 100,000 IE single dose vitamin D treatment lead to a significant improvement in fatigue in the vitamin D group compared with the placebo group. Moreover, improvement in fatigue modestly but significantly correlated with the change in 25(OH)D levels among all participants.
To get an optimal vitamin D supplement from the sun at a minimal risk of getting cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), the best time of sun exposure is noon.
The sun is usually strongest between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. In the summer, a person does not need to be out in the sun for very long during this period to make enough vitamin D.
While some vitamins are best taken in the morning, others can be taken at night with little risk of a negative impact on your sleep. There are, however, some vitamins and supplements that you may want to avoid when bedtime comes around so that you do not lose out on any of that much needed sleep.