Medically reviewed by Smita Patel, DO
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- Maintaining healthy vitamin D levels can help support your brain health, mood, and sleep quality.
- Taking vitamin D with a large meal containing healthy fats can improve absorption, while taking it midday may support natural melatonin and serotonin production.
- Take vitamin D in the fall and winter to build up your stores and potentially prevent low mood in the darker months.
Vitamin D is essential to brain health and mood. Research has linked low vitamin D levels to dementia, depression, and low serotonin. Taking vitamin D in the afternoon with a large meal may improve the supplement's effectiveness.
Take It With Your Largest Meal of the Day
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so taking it with a large meal containing fats can help your body absorb the vitamin more effectively for maximum brain health benefits.
A 2019 study looked at the cognitive effects of vitamin D supplementation in women who'd gone through menopause and had low vitamin D levels. The study found that a dose of 2,000 international units (IU) per day improved visual and working memory, as well as learning. However, higher doses had more negative effects.
In the study, researchers instructed the women to take their vitamin D dose with their largest meal of the day for best absorption.
Foods that offer healthy fats that would be good to pair with vitamin D for better absorption include:
- Avocado
- Olive oil
- Nuts and seeds
- Fatty fish like salmon
Take It in the Afternoon
Your body naturally produces vitamin D from skin exposure to sunlight. The highest level of sunlight occurs midday, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., depending on the time of year and your location.
Taking vitamin D supplements midday can help mimic or support your body's typical rise in vitamin D levels during this time, especially if you're not getting enough sun exposure. Your liver can also better process vitamin D during this time of day.
Getting an increase in vitamin D levels around midday can support your body's melatonin production. This can help promote healthy sleep patterns and potentially improve sleep quality. Sleep is essential to mood and brain health, so taking vitamin D to support sleep may indirectly improve your mood.
Some studies also suggest that taking vitamin D midday may have an effect on serotonin, a hormone that helps regulate mood and sleep.
However, more research is needed to confirm the effects of vitamin D and the timing of supplementation on sleep and mood.
Supplement Before and During the Winter
During the winter months, your sunlight exposure decreases, which lowers your body's natural vitamin D production.
Lower vitamin D levels have been linked to low serotonin levels, which can affect your mood and contribute to depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Supplementing with vitamin D ahead of and throughout the winter season can help build up and maintain your vitamin D stores through the darker months.
Research is mixed on the use of vitamin D as an independent treatment for SAD. Some studies found it to be as effective as light therapy, while others found no effect.
It's important to talk to a healthcare provider if you plan on taking vitamin D long-term or if you take other medications.
