title: The world epidemic of sleep disorders is linked to vitamin D deficiency.
abstract: An observation of sleep improvement with vitamin D supplementation led to a 2 year uncontrolled trial of vitamin D supplementation in 1500 patients with neurologic complaints who also had evidence of abnormal sleep. Most patients had improvement in neurologic symptoms and sleep but only through maintaining a narrow range of 25(OH) vitamin D3 blood levels of 60-80 ng/ml. Comparisons of brain regions associated with sleep-wake regulation and vitamin D target neurons in the diencephalon and several brainstem nuclei suggest direct central effects of vitamin D on sleep. We propose the hypothesis that sleep disorders have become epidemic because of widespread vitamin D deficiency. The therapeutic effects together with the anatomic-functional correspondence warrant further investigation and consideration of vitamin D in the etiology and therapy of sleep disorders.
authors.affiliation: East Texas Medical Center, Neurologic Institute, Tyler, TX 75701, USA. sgominak@yahoo.com
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gominak
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Stumpf
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015984:Causality; D015897:Comorbidity; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008959:Models, Neurological; D015995:Prevalence; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D