Vitamin D is one of the essential nutrients for maintaining your health and well-being, which can affect your mood, bone health, immunity, and other issues. Since the absorption of vitamin D from the sun is not so simple and many of us do not have enough vitamin D in our diet, using vitamin D supplements has become one of the critical and fundamental issues. The correct and regular use of vitamin D supplements helps maintain your health and money in your pocket, but do you know when is the best time to take vitamin D? Stay with us until the end of the article to get the answer to this question.
Benefits of taking vitamin D supplements
Vitamin D is a type of hormone produced due to the contact of sunlight with the skin. Older people, people with dark skin, people who are overweight, or who live in places with limited sunlight are more prone to vitamin D deficiency.
There are not many excellent and natural sources of vitamin D, so taking a vitamin D supplement is one of the critical and vital issues. For example, every 85 grams of farmed salmon contains 442 units, every cup of fortified milk contains 100 units, and every 226 grams of vanilla yogurt has only 86 branches of vitamin D. Therefore, to get the right amount of vitamin D, you need to eat a lot of food. Otherwise, you won’t get enough vitamin D from your diet.
Sunlight also provides only part of your vitamin D needs, which is insufficient for the body. According to the research, in the body of an adult, the average serum level of 25 hydroxyvitamin D (a clinical indicator of vitamin D status in the body) is about 18 to 22 ng/ml at the end of winter, 29 ng/ml at the end of summer, and less than 30 ng/ml in total. It is milliliters. For this reason, vitamin D supplementation is recommended.
How to take vitamin D
Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it needs a fat source for proper absorption in the body. For this reason, consuming vitamin D with foods such as avocado, eggs, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and flax (sources containing good fats) causes better absorption of the vitamin in the bloodstream. Therefore, taking vitamin D supplements on an empty stomach is not a good idea. For example, taking a vitamin D supplement with a meal with suitable fat increases vitamin absorption by 32%. Of course, if enough fat accompanies your supplement, it no longer needs to be taken with food. So you should read the instructions that come with the supplement. For example, vitamin D with oil can be taken with a full meal or on an empty stomach, with or without fat.
The best time to take vitamin D is at night.
The time of taking the vitamin D supplement depends on you, and you do not need to take the supplement at a specific time. The best time is when you can remember to take the vitamin. On the other hand, if your supplement contains healthy fats, your schedule is more flexible. However, we suggest taking vitamin D supplements with something special, such as breakfast, so you don’t forget to eat it.
- If your vitamin D does not contain fat, try it with breakfast. This meal usually contains healthy fats such as milk or avocado. But if lunch or dinner is better for you, do the same.
- Don’t worry if you want to take the supplement at another time or even forget to take it. Take the vitamin as soon as you remember. It is better not to worry too much when taking vitamin D and take it.
The relationship between sleep and vitamin D
According to research, vitamin D plays a role in the production of the hormone melatonin (a hormone effective in regulating the circadian and sleep cycles). Vitamin D and rest have a two-way relationship, and reducing the optimal amount of vitamin D plays a role in lowering the quality of sleep and its duration. On the other hand, insufficient sleep is associated with an increased likelihood of vitamin D deficiency. Taking vitamin D supplements can help improve sleep quality.
Common questions
1. Is it better to take vitamin D supplements in the morning or at night?
Little research has been done on when to take vitamin D supplements. The most important thing now is to make vitamin D intake a routine and keep it up. However, many people prefer to take a vitamin D supplement first thing in the morning. You can also make it a habit to consume vitamin D and breakfast nutrients. On the other hand, some unofficial reports claim that taking vitamins at night can hurt sleep quality due to interference with melatonin production. However, not enough scientific research has been done to determine the effect of vitamin D consumption on sleep quality.
2. What is the best way to use vitamin D?
Taking vitamin D with a bit of fat is better for better absorption. However, some types of vitamin D supplements contain fat for better performance.
3. Does taking vitamin D at night cause insomnia?
Although many people believe that taking vitamin D supplements at night affects their sleep quality, research shows that vitamin D helps produce melatonin and improve sleep quality. Taking vitamin D supplements reduces the symptoms of sleep problems by eliminating vitamin D deficiency. Of course, a significant increase in vitamin D itself can increase sleep problems. If you think vitamin D affects your sleep, taking it early in the morning is better.
4. Why should you use vitamin D supplements?
Many people are deficient in vitamin D, which may be caused by insufficient access to the sun, skin color, age, taking certain medications, and vitamins in the diet. Vitamin D supplements can help improve bone health, prevent cancer, enhance immune function, reduce muscle cramps, fight fatigue, and improve mental health.
Warning! This article is only for educational purposes; to use it, it is necessary to consult a doctor or specialist.
