The Best Time to Take Vitamin D for Maximum Benefits, According to Doctors
Experts reveal the easiest way to get more from your vitamin D—and when to take it for better sleep
If you’ve been taking your daily vitamin D supplement whenever it’s convenient—maybe with dinner or right before bed—you might want to rethink your routine. It turns out timing matters more than most of us realize. Even more surprising? Taking it at the wrong time of day might be affecting your sleep. We asked doctors to reveal the best time to take vitamin D and exactly how to maximize its powerful benefits for your bones, heart and immune system.
3 key health benefits of vitamin D
You know you need a whole list of nutrients to stay healthy, but do you know what vitamin D helps with in particular? “Vitamin D is a prehormone that the body converts into an active hormone,” says Lamees Hamdan, MD, an integrative medical doctor. “So vitamin D has a dual role, both as a nutrient and as a hormone. Your body can produce vitamin D when [your skin is] exposed to sunlight or obtain it from certain foods and supplements. Vitamin D has many functions, such as calcium regulation, supporting immune function, mood regulation and overall cellular health.”
Here, some of the biggest health benefits of vitamin D, especially for older adults:
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It improves bone health
“[Vitamin D] enhances calcium absorption and reduces the risk of fractures and osteoporosis,” says Dr. Hamdan. (Discover more ways to improve bone density and ward off osteoporosis.)
It protects your heart
Studies suggest this key nutrient also supports heart health by helping regulate inflammation. “Optimizing vitamin D intake is associated with improvements in HDL [good] cholesterol and blood pressure,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of From Fatigued to Fantastic. “Research suggests that optimizing vitamin D levels could prevent 56,000 excess heart disease deaths yearly while also decreasing stroke risk.”
It boosts immunity
Dr. Teitelbaum and Dr. Hamdan both say vitamin D decreases infection risk. Dr. Teitelbaum adds that it lowers the risk of autoimmune illness and disease as well. Because vitamin D plays such a critical role in our overall health, not getting enough can be harmful.
“Vitamin D deficiency contributes to excess inflammation, autoimmune disease and difficulty fighting cancers and infections,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Vitamin D deficiency also contributes to chronic pain, [which is] another reason why we are seeing a pain epidemic, as well as weak bones.”
The encouraging news? Optimizing your levels—whether through supplements, sunlight or vitamin D-fortified foods such as cereal and orange juice—is simple.
The best time to take vitamin D
Now that you understand why vitamin D is so important, let’s talk about how to make sure you’re getting the most from it, starting with the best time to take it.
“Put simply, it is best to take vitamin D in the morning or early afternoon, because this is the time, historically, that we would be getting it from sunshine,” says Dr. Teitelbaum. “Taken too late in the day, it may disrupt melatonin production and make it harder to fall asleep.”
Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, Dr. Teitelbaum recommends taking it with food to help your body absorb it. He suggests aiming for 9 to 11 grams of fat with your meal, which he says could look like an egg with a glass of whole milk. It’s a simple pairing that fits naturally into breakfast.
Dr. Teitelbaum adds that vitamin D works best alongside other nutrients, so taking it as part of a multivitamin can be helpful. He suggests choosing one that includes zinc, magnesium, boron and vitamins A, B, C and K.
How much vitamin D do you need per day?
Dr. Teitelbaum considers 1,000 IU per day to be the “sweet spot” vitamin D supplement amount for most people. He adds that vitamin D toxicity is considered uncommon at amounts below 25,000 IU per day, unless someone has elevated blood calcium due to certain medical or hormonal conditions. Still, since needs can vary from person to person, checking with your doctor can help you determine the supplement level that’s best for you.
Fortunately, supporting your bone health, heart health and immune system doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. A simple morning routine—vitamin D with breakfast—gives your body exactly what it needs to stay strong, energized and resilient.
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