Results showed that after a year of daily treatment of MS patients, high doses of vitamin D significantly suppressed the nighttime melatonin and that there is a negative correlation between vitamin D and melatonin.
Although the functions and synthesis of vitamin D and melatonin are contrary to each other, both are involved in the immune system. While melatonin synthesis is affected by light, vitamin D deficiency may be involved in melatonin secretion.
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.
In general, melatonin production decrease with aging. Among the other factors that have been most consistently linked to modified melatonin levels are disrupted light–dark cycles, night work and being overweight.
Melatonin production relies on vitamin D: Vitamin D helps the body produce melatonin, a hormone that supports sleep. Low levels of vitamin D could result in low levels of melatonin, leading to sleep problems.
Vitamin D is naturally non-drowsy (although, as mentioned above, it may help support healthy sleep). Take it whenever you feel like it will be easiest and most convenient.
Folate and vitamin B6 boost the formation of serotonin, which is the precursor of melatonin [3].
However, increasing vitamin D levels with supplements may suppress melatonin generation, leading to sleep disturbances. For this reason, people should take vitamin D supplements in the morning to replicate how the body synthesizes them from sunlight rather than taking them at night.
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.
Magnesium assists in the activation of vitamin D, which helps regulate calcium and phosphate homeostasis to influence the growth and maintenance of bones. All of the enzymes that metabolize vitamin D seem to require magnesium, which acts as a cofactor in the enzymatic reactions in the liver and kidneys.
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.
Some side effects of taking too much vitamin D include weakness, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and others. Taking vitamin D for long periods of time in doses higher than 4000 IU (100 mcg) daily is possibly unsafe and may cause very high levels of calcium in the blood.
With a meal: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means it does not dissolve in water. Your body absorbs Vitamin D better when it is consumed with healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, eggs, and seeds. Taking your supplement with breakfast or lunch is recommended, or you can even take it with an afternoon snack.
For example, a supplement could contain sugar or caffeine, which could cause sleep problems. Another reason is that some vitamins are fat-soluble (A, D, E and K) and for better absorption should be taken with meals, but it is not recommended to eat large meals in the evening.
This might be due to a few factors including that melatonin levels decline with age , which may exacerbate conditions related to circadian rhythm, such as sleep disorders. However, if you have a sleep problem that is caused by anxiety or another hormonal issue, then melatonin may not work to ease your sleep issues.
The synthesis and release of melatonin are stimulated by darkness, melatonin is the "chemical expression of darkness" and inhibited by light [4]. Photic information from the retina is transmitted to the pineal gland through the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN) and the sympathetic nervous system [5].
Use vitamin D cautiously if you're taking drugs processed by these enzymes. Digoxin (Lanoxin). Avoid taking high doses of vitamin D with this heart medication. High doses of vitamin D can cause hypercalcemia, which increases the risk of fatal heart problems with digoxin.
Together with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D has other roles in the body, including reduction of inflammation as well as modulation of such processes as cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and glucose metabolism [1-3].
Extremely high vitamin D levels are harmful and can cause nausea, vomiting, confusion, excessive thirst and kidney stones. Vitamin D supplements can interact with certain medications, so check with your doctor before starting one.
While vitamin D itself is unlikely to be causing your anxiety, that doesn't mean it can't, and the activities that you do to help increase vitamin D are valuable for your anxiety anyway. Getting outside will help you get what vitamin D you can, although there are also nutritional supplements available.
Yes, getting too much vitamin D can be harmful. Very high levels of vitamin D in your blood (greater than 375 nmol/L or 150 ng/mL) can cause nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, confusion, pain, loss of appetite, dehydration, excessive urination and thirst, and kidney stones.
However, vitamin B12 deficiency is known to be involved in the pathophysiology of depression, which can commonly be associated with insomnia [19].