Vitamin D3- when’s the best time to take it?

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yawny
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 4:20 pm

Vitamin D3- when’s the best time to take it?

Post by yawny »

I recently read an article that explained how important it was to take Vitamin D3 in the morning. I can’t find the article anymore but here was it’s main point...the closer you take vitamin D3 to bed, the worse your sleep. It was recommended you take it before you even get out of bed in the morning.

I found some online people who did their own experiments and discovered the same conclusion. My own neurologist warned me that vitamin D3 increases anxiety, and is especially detrimental in people like me with anxiety disorders. So I basically stopped taking it, but am constantly reminded how important it is so I recently started it up again. I often wake around 5-6am (before I’m ready to get up) so I take a flaxseed oil based D3 from a bottle on my bedside table, and go back to sleep. An hour or so later I wake and take my thyroid pill and am up for the day. I take the D3 about 3 times a week.

Anyone else have experience with D3 affecting their sleep?

ViewsAskew
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Location: Los Angeles

Re: Vitamin D3- when’s the best time to take it?

Post by ViewsAskew »

I stopped taking it. I don't remember it being an issue, though. When I moved to So Cal, I spent so much time in the sun that eventually I stopped needing a supplement.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Frunobulax
Posts: 430
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:41 pm

Re: Vitamin D3- when’s the best time to take it?

Post by Frunobulax »

There is a study in Hawaii with healthy people averaging 28 hours of sun exposure per week. Half of them were deficient in Vitamin D. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17426097

IMHO it's a very good idea to have a high vitamin D level (70 to 100), as we are just starting to realize how important it is.

Morning/evening is pretty much irrelevant AFAIK, we have long-term stores and it takes months to years to raise the level significantly. But it's fat soluble so you should take it close to a meal that contains a sufficient amount of fat. I take 4x1000 IE daily together with an Omega-3 supplement (which takes care of the fat).

As for anxiety, the reverse seems to be true: Vitamin D may prevent anxiety https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325823.php, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26680471, https://bmcmedgenet.biomedcentral.com/a ... 019-0774-2.

yawny
Posts: 264
Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2015 4:20 pm

Re: Vitamin D3- when’s the best time to take it?

Post by yawny »

Frunobulax raises two important points...our responses to supplements and medications are highly individual, and you can find a study to justify any opinion. Google searches turn up results for both experiences. It’s probably best that we experiment, and observe our own reactions.

ViewsAskew
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Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Vitamin D3- when’s the best time to take it?

Post by ViewsAskew »

As with all things, there has to be a balance. Often takes years to see the full picture - and research itself (both pro and con) can be flawed. Makes it hard to know what to do many times, doesn't it?

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324772.php#1

https://www.sciencealert.com/vitamin-d- ... ing-at-all
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Frunobulax
Posts: 430
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:41 pm

Re: Vitamin D3- when’s the best time to take it?

Post by Frunobulax »

Almost all micronutrients have a U-shaped risk curve, that is, both very high and very low levels are bad for us, with some optimal range in between. The problem with vitamin D is that we have no clue where the optimum is for vitamin D. As some harmful effects are reported for high levels over 150mg/dl, I'd assume the optimum is somewhere between 30 and 100. But your guess is as good as mine.

However, 2 studies where we know neither the number of participants nor the quality of the data won't convince me of anything :) Has anyone seen the full text?

In general, if results in a study go against established results, the data HAS to be really convincing to merit such a conclusion. I have serious doubts that the data in these studies is that good...

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