Can Vitamin C Keep You Up At Night

Can Vitamin C Keep You Up At Night

Vitamin C DOES keep you awake. Vitamin C deficiency is associated with shorter sleep duration. Mega-doses of vitamin C are associated with insomnia.  More and more studies are emerging that link this important antioxidant to sleep patterns.  Check out some of the interesting findings.

Too Much Vitamin C Can Cause Insomnia

Vitamin C can keep you awake if you are taking too much. Though it is unlikely that you will have negative side effects from too much vitamin C from your diet, mega-dosing on supplements can have several adverse side effects that include insomnia.

The recommended daily amount for vitamin C for adults is 65-90mg per day with an upper limit of 2,000 mg per day.  Doses over 2,000 mg per day can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, abdominal cramps, headache, and insomnia.  [1]

Vitamin C Deficiency Linked to Shorter Sleep Duration

At the other end of the spectrum, not getting enough vitamin C can also affect sleep patterns.

A study published in the journal Appetite set out to measure which if any dietary nutrients were associated with short and long sleep durations.  According to the study authors, short sleep duration is associated with cardiovascular disease, psychiatric illness, and performance deficits, while long sleep duration is associated with poor physical fitness and mental health.

The study found that individuals who had lower vitamin C levels also had much shorter sleep durations. [2]

Intravenous Vitamin C May Be a Natural Fatigue Buster

If staying awake is the goal, then vitamin C may just be the answer.

With the popularity of energy drinks and energy shots, some seek a more natural solution for fighting fatigue.  A study published in the Journal of Nutrition set out to study the efficacy of intravenous vitamin C as a treatment for fatigue.  The randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial included a group of 141 healthy office workers aged 20 to 49.  The trial group received 10 grams of vitamin C with saline intravenously while the placebo group received only saline.  The fatigue scores that were measured after two hours were significantly lower in the group that received vitamin C and remained lower the following day. [3]

Though the findings are promising, the study did not test regular at-home supplementation or exactly how much would be sufficient to ward off fatigue.  As mentioned above, mega-dosing has several unwanted side effects.

Resources

[1] Zeratsky, Katherine. "Is It Possible to Take Too Much Vitamin C?" Mayoclinic.org. N.p., n.d., Web 8 Feb. 2020. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/vitamin-c/faq-20058030

[2] Grandner, Michael A. "Dietary nutrients associated with short and long sleep duration. Data from a nationally representative sample." Appetite. 2013. Vol. 64, pp: 71-80. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3703747/

[3] Suh, Sang-Yeon. "Intravenous Vitamin C administration reduces fatigue in office workers: a double-blind randomized controlled trial." Nutrition Journal. 2012 Vol. 11, No. 7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273429/

Can Vitamin C Keep You Up At Night

Source: https://www.sophisticatededge.com/does-vitamin-c-keep-you-awake.html

Share: