Comments for Sleepiness as a Side Effect of Vitamin D

Sleepiness and Prescription Vitamin D
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen

Hi Sally,

First of all, YES your dosage is ENTIRELY normal for treatment of vitamin D deficiency. There has never been a reported case of Vitamin D Toxicity from this dose taken over long periods of time in adults. NEVER!

In fact, if your deficiency is severe, it may not even be enough. So be sure that your doctor checks your vitamin D level after your 12 weeks.

Second. About the sleepiness. I've heard of this happening occasionally. It's interesting that in all of the studies done on Vitamin D, they ALMOST NEVER report side effects of any sort- and often state that that the rarity of side effects as 'remarkable'!

My theory about this is that they most often use Vitamin D3 in studies, where your doctor prescribed you the FAR INFERIOR vitamin D2 which has a less predictable action on the body as well as having more impurities. SO, it could be the Prescription Vitamin D that is causing your problems. I find that ALL vitamin d that is packed in oil is subject to going rancid- and injesting the rancid oil seems to be the culprit in many cases.

You may want to see about switching to a 'dry' (No Oil) Vitamin D3 Supplement to see if that alleviates your sleepiness. And you may want to print out this study called The Case Against Vitamin D 2 as a Supplements, highlight any questions you may have about WHY your doctor is giving you Vitamin D 2 instead of Vitamin D3, and take it in to him to ask him what his rationale is behind giving you a form of Vitamin D that researchers clearly state in inferior in many ways- INCLUDING its actual metabolic functioning in the body!!

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com

sleepiness
by: Anonymous

I have read your article and am currently surfing the web for information because my story is identical.

I have been taking Prescription Vitamin D 50,000 units and within the first 10 days I too have had an onset of heavy sleepiness that has not ceased. I haven't slept like this for 20 years at least. At first it was welcome, but now its becoming too much, and I'm considering ceasing the Vitamin D.

When 8 to 10 hours of sleep is not sufficient something isn't right.

Catching Up on Your Sleep
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

So, it sounds like you haven't slept well in almost 20 years and now you are finally sleeping after getting on vitamin d.

Well, the excessive sleepiness that you are feeling is probably due to 'catching up' on your sleep after all those years of not getting a good night's sleep. Hypersomnolence is a common side effect when someone with chronic long-term insomnia finally is able to get sleep. This is actually a GOOD thing to be finally sleeping after 20 years! Wouldn't you think?

And the remedy for this is to just take your vitamin d when you get home from work before your weekend. If you are taking your dosages once a week, then take your once weekly dosage before you go to sleep before your weekend and plan on sleeping much of the weekend for several weekends until you have 'caught up'.

Now that you have FINALLY solved your insomnia problem after 20 years, it's not time to stop taking the nutrient that balanced your system enough to allow you to finally get to sleep!!

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

PS: If you found this website helpful, please consider using the
Easy Immune Health Product Store the next time you purchase your supplements online. Thank you for visiting my site!

Vitamin D is making me sleepy too
by: Anonymous

I was diagnosed with a Vitamin D deficiency several months ago, and my Dr. prescribed me a once a week Vitamin D capsule(50,000 units). I notice that whenever I take it, the next morning, I can barely get out of bed and I feel lethargic and out of it all day the next day. I made a note of it a while ago to make sure it wasn't just a coincidence, but now I'm certain its the Vitamin D. I felt great 2 days ago, took the pill last night & feel terrible again today (same as last week after I took the D pill).

Drowsiness
by: Chris

Same thing has happended to me. I took 60,000 IU of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) 3 times till now, once a week. The drowsiness and fatigue occurs 2-3 days later. If I don't take it for a couple of weeks, I seem to get better.

I know that I need the D since my level is too low (below 10), but I may also need Vitamin D Cofactors with it. I don't take anything else at the moment. Or maybe you just have to bear it till the D level rises.

Chris

Vitamin D and drowsines
by: SJW

I am relieved to read that others have also experienced severe drowsiness after taking high levels of vitamin D. My doctor put me on 50,000 IU of Vitamin D once a week, as my level was 28. I have been SOOOO sleepy - and I really don't like feeling this way, especially in the middle of the day! I, too, am considering not taking the prescrition Vit. D. This is my third week into this therapy.

Good. Please DO stop taking it...
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

You shouldn't be taking prescription vitamin d ANYWAY, so DO stop taking it and switch to Vitamin D3 as I've mentioned hundreds of times before on this site.

And again, there ARE solutions to this such as taking your week's worth (or even a full month's worth at a time) just as you get off of work for your weekend and plan on sleeping much of the weekend. It will not do you any good to stop taking vitamin d completely (getting cancer or MS as a tradeoff of not being sleepy for a couple of weekends doesn't seem like a good choice to me).

So, find a way to 'get past' this uncomfortable and temporary situation and you will find many benefits- especially since it's likely that you are experiencing such a violent reaction because you are extremely low in the first place.

Kerri Knox RN

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
Side Effects

Vitamin D makes me sleepy
by: Anonymous

I have tried prescription, otc and liquid Vitamin D and they all put me right to sleep. My level is at 15 and I dont know what to do. I am 54 with high cholesterol. I take Fish oil and it does not make me sleepy so it cant be the oil. Is there else I can do?

I mean RANCID oils
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Is there anything that you can do? Yes, take the Vitamin D just before you have a few days off and GET SOME SLEEP!!! Sounds like your bodies are all crying out for needed sleep!

When I said that it might be the oils in it that is the problem, I think that you missed the point on what I said regarding oils. I've said MANY MANY times that both prescription, 'otc' and liquid are made from oils that most often go RANCID.

Just because you take fish oils and that doesn't make you sleepy doesn't mean anything except that the oils in your fish oil are probably of good quality and not rancid.

Try a DRY one made WITHOUT oils. Other suggestions that I've given on this thread is to simply take 300,000 IU's on a Friday evening after work, or whatever time just before a weekend- and just plan on sleeping in all weekend. If you have kids, send them to a friend's. Get some take out meals and a jug of water and sleep it off.

For some, the sleepiness will NOT wear off until you get your levels up or you remedy the 'sleep deficit' from years of not getting enough sleep.

If you continue to stop taking it every time you feel sleepy then you are just DRAGGGIIIIINGNNGGGG out the problem so that it happens continually. Take a BIG dose a couple of weekends in a row and get it over with already...

Then keep your levels up by taking an adequate maintenance dosage for the rest of your life so that doesn't continue to happen...

I'd also recommend taking the Vitamin D Absorption Pack to remedy any other deficiencies in vitamin D cofactors that contribute to Vitamin D Side Effects.

Kerri Knox, RN

Seeing the same effects with dry D3
by: Ahab G.

I would like to inform you that after taking a dry 10k IU D3 recommended by a dietician, I started feeling extreme drowsiness as well. The dose of D3 in my daily multi is only 400 IU and I have been feeling lethargic. If it were a quick onset it would be great to take it at night, but it is an ongoing lethargy I cannot afford, working in a factory.

Clearly this is not just a D2 or rancidity problem.

Please actually read the thread before commenting
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

If you were to actually READ the thread, I say that rancid oils are the most common cause of sleepiness, but that for some people they will continue to get sleepy until they bring their levels up to optimal. It can also be a function of just being REALLY low, as I mention in the thread.

I also mention several solutions to this problem in this thread that will prevent this sleepiness from interfering with your work.

Kerri Knox, RN

tired too
by: stacey

I have just started taking 50000 units this week and I am also tired. I did do some research, (thanks for this site) before hand and just planned on taking it easy for fews days as recommended. If I end up feeling better, I will gladly be tired for a while. I guess we need to treat this as an illness and get some rest. I haven't slept well in a very long time so maybe this is what my body needs. My level was 11 so I am sure my body is adjusting to the vitamin d.

Vitamin D drowsy!
by: Anonymous

At the risk of making anyone snarky, I have to say that I wish someone would study the effects of mega doses of vitamin d, as it appears drowsiness is neither rare not easily explained away. I am a thyroid cancer survivor and take hormones at suppression levels, which show up on blood work as hyperthyroid. I am doing great ...or was until I started vitamin d. Now I'm exhausted.

[Kerri's note: you had thyroid cancer, and have severe enough vitamin D deficiency to need to have prescription supplements. I'd say that you are pretty ill. I suspect that your vitamin D levels are really low. That is almost certainly the reason why you are so sleepy. Get some sleep. It's almost certain to help you. Not sure why requiring extra sleep for a while after being diagnosed with a severe vitamin deficiency is so disturbing to folks. Seems to me that being diagnosed with a severe vitamin deficiency would be more disturbing than being sleepy for a little while.]

Vitamin D3
by: Anonymous

My vitamin D level was 6 when tested. I was prescribed 50,000 IU of vitamin D3 once a week and 1000 IU vitamin D3 over the counter every day for the next 6 months. I started taking the over the counter 3 days ago and waiting on my Prescription Vitamin D to come in the mail.

Since starting it I have been so sleepy in the afternoon and have been taking a nap. I was researching if the vitamin D 3 could do this because it is the only thing I have done different.

So glad to find this site and see that is what is doing it. Not looking forward to how I react with the 50,000 IU though. But I know I have to get my level up.

[Kerri's note: not with prescription Vitamin D, you don't. You'd be better off taking the stuff you got at the drug store! That's Vitamin D3, the right kind of Vitamin D.]

Vitamin D Raises Calcium
by: Anonymous

Taking Vitamin D raises Calcium levels, an Elevated Calcium Level can interfere with the way your brain works, resulting in confusion, lethargy and fatigue. Doctors don't tell you about this though.

Does not raise calcium levels
by: Kerri Knox, RN - The Immune Queen

Vitamin D does not raise calcium levels UNLESS you get to toxic levels. Don't take so much you have an Overdose on Vitamin D and it will not raise calcium levels.

If you are not toxic, and it raises your calcium levels, you almost certainly have hyperparathyroidism, and had 'borderline' high calcium levels before you took Vitamin D. This would suggest you might need to see a parathyroid specialist.

Kerri Knox, RN

Vitamin D3
by: Anonymous

Began taking 5 days ago. I'm taking 2000 everday. I'm also now experiencing tiredness. I've been taking it in the morning. I'm thinking maybe start taking it in the evening? Any suggestions?

Vitamin D comments
by: Anonymous

Vitamin D also makes me very sleep.y I believe we are in the minority of folks who are slow acetylators, which means drugs stay in our bodies much longer than normal folks. you probably find you are sensitive to other things too. We do not need the usual recommended dosages. Some people need more and some less. there's a lot of info on this. Jay Cohen wrote a book on medication sensitivities.

I am taking 200IUs of VD3 before bedtime. I seem to be okay with it and will increase as my body gets used to it. I can't function on anything much higher than this. I am below levels as well.

I never thought of taking a week's dose all at one time. Will it stay with us through the week? I would be knocked out for 24 hours.

Dry Vitamin D 3 makes just as tired
by: Anonymous

I can take 400IU in a multivitamin, but not the 1000 to 2000 my doctor says, and I've tried both in oil and dry, as well as a gummy chewable. It's D3 too.I had a Vitamin D level of 10 at one time, and it's gone up somewhat, but I can hardly stay awake on the bigger dose. And no I don't have problem with my parathyroid either.

I think Sally is wrong.. Just my opinion
by: Anonymous

My d levels are 40 that my still be low but not as bad as others here. I tried d3 in different does with calcium, Vitamin K, and without and experienced sleepiness as well as increased muscle weakness and joint pain.

40 ng/ml or 40 nm/L
by: Kerri Knox, RN, The Immune Queen

Sleepy,

Are your levels 40 ng/ml or 40 nm/L. 40 in ng/ml is virtually optimal, so when you say that you are low and your level is 40 and you are just starting on supplements and getting sleepy, I'm betting that your level is actually 40 nm/L, which is used in Europe and the UK. That level is about 10 ng/ml, which is EXTREMELY low.

So, if that is the case, what I said is still in effect... it is just the reaction that you are having while your body adjusts to seriously low vitamin D levels, probably that you've had for many many years, maybe even decades.

You can't expect not to have some repercussions for being so low for so long. And the muscle weakness and joint pain is very common when someone takes vitamin D when their levels are extremely low, especially when you are not taking it with Vitamin A and magnesium, as in the Vitamin D Absorption Pack, which I created for the purpose of people avoiding as many side effects of vitamin D as possible by combining it with the necessary cofactors needed to absorb vitamin d.

Again, sleepiness is not a reason to stop taking Vitamin D. In fact, most people here describe NEEDING the extra sleep.

Also crashed when on Vitamin D
by: sam

Like the other posters here I also suffered from sleepiness with vitamin D. I had quite low levels and was prescribed it, but was given D3 and not D2 by my doc. When I first went on it, I took it in the morning before I left for work, by lunchtime I was falling asleep at my desk.

Sometimes it was the most unrelenting sleepiness. It was embarressing. I had CFS plus I had also started some other treament, and it took me a little while before I made the connection to the Vit D. I then started taking it at night. I started on I think 2000IU/day and then when my levels had not changed went to 10000IU/day.

I dont buy the rancid oil theory as my D3 was a high quality practitioner brand and was a think cream liquid. Also I dont here of others crashing to sleep on old vitamin E or A or fish oil capsules. [Kerri's note: I certainly do hear of this all of the time]

I also had a high 1,25vitD/25vitD ratio and i wonder if the irregular conversion between the 2 forms of vitamin D was part of the reason. It seems strange that most people dont have any adverse issues with taking vitamin D but for some its like a taking a knock out drug.

I wish there was a definite established reason as I love to know what was different about me. I still take D3 but at night and it definitely helps to give a better nights sleep. I feel a more immediate pick up in health though when I spend time tanning in the sun. I can also get really tired from that if I get sunburnt.

Small amounts of vitamin D make me tired
by: Anonymous

I can't take any vitamin D. Even doses as small as 400IU make me tired, give me a metalic taste and cause frequent urination. I have tried different types and the reaction is the same. It's noticeably worse on the second day. I think there are individual differences in synthesis.

According to my doctor I'm only slightly deficient but I don't know if this is part of the reason for the strong reaction. In general I am hyper sensitive to many medications.

Take in the morning only!
by: Brenda

I read a nurse on this site say to take Vit D3 after work or in the evening. I just read a study that found it interfere with the production of melatonin and should only be taken in the morning.

my experience
by: Anonymous

Mine is very low... 7.7. I was prescribed by my neurologist 50,000 IU of D2 once per week. its a little blue clear capsule. Obviously liquid. The first time I took it, I remained tired but could hardly sleep at all for the first few nights, plus extreme leg pain.

Second time, same, I was still tired but couldn't sleep well and legs cramp. Third round was a few days ago.... and I am so darn tired i cannot stop sleeping. I feel like a zombie. I had CFS and fibromyalgia when my VD was still in 30s and 40s, I have no idea why it dropped this year, and CFS and Fibro plus VD side effects are killer.

I don't know why they give me D2 when everyone knows D3 is better. I don't see my Dr again for over a month. I've also read the leg pain is from the vitamin D re-mineralizing your bones when your extremely low like me, but when it brings calcium back in it also brings fluid, causing it to sort of swell and bruise around the bones... and that is exactly what it feels like.... All I can say is OUCH and ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Hashimoto warrior
by: Anonymous

I am loving this sleep thing!! 50,000 units twice weekly taken after dinner and FINALLY I SLEEP! levels were 10. I am hoping for some good rest, much needed uninteruppted sleep and better moods. Enjoy the sleep folks.

Please, don't stop taking Vitamin D.
by: Anonymous

Sleepiness while taking high dosages of vit D is absolutely normal, it is not a side effect it is necessary condition for this vitamin in order to repair you.

If you have time you may go through the book "Miraculous results of extremely high doses of vitamin D3" by Jeff T. Bowles, where he described how he took 50000 IU and he slept like a log, but he didn't quit and that therapy CURED his health conditions that he had for 20 years and which his doctors told him were incurable.

Oh me too..
by: Gkaush

I was searching the internet if i am alone in this but thank god ...
I have a vit d level of 7 and hb of 9 so doc put me on supplements for vit d and calcium and iron & man oh man i slept like i havent slept my whole life .I wud literally b like in a half coma during the day... I could sleep the entire night and 4-5 hours easy during the day ...thats whole day gone..lol.
Before taking the supplements i slept barely for 6 hours a night. Even i was tempted to stop the supplements but after reading this i think i will continue... On the positive end my face is brighter than ever and less random pains so thats great...ill stop now ...feeling sleepy...have a great day everyone

Everyone just dismisses my side effect
by: Anonymous

I also was prescribed high doses of Vita d. At first I didn't know what was wrong with me. I'd wake up fine, take it and got so tired, slept all day, couldn't work. When I realized.maybe vita d I took at night and woke up to bed full of pee. I didn't even wake to go to the bathroom. I never took again here I am again getting prescribed high amts so I'm gonna try 400 iu d3 not 2 and see. but yes definitely side effects.im glad to know I'm not the only one. So tired of being dismissed.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Sleepiness as a Side Effect of Vitamin D.

Return to Question About Vitamin D Side Effects?.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

Click on the HTML link code below.
Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Search this Site

Custom Search

Free Vitamin D Fact Sheet by Getting
My Newsletter