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High-dose vs standard-dose vitamin D and sleep in early childhood: A randomized clinical trial

Vilja Seppälä1, Elisa Holmlund-Suila2, Helena Hauta-Alus3

  • 1Welfare Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Tampere University, Finland.

Sleep Medicine
|March 26, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Higher vitamin D supplementation in infants did not improve sleep. However, adequate vitamin D levels in children and mothers were linked to fewer sleep disturbances, suggesting a potential role for vitamin D in infant sleep quality.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Nutritional Science
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are linked to sleep problems in children.
  • Randomized controlled trials investigating vitamin D supplementation and childhood sleep are lacking.
  • Understanding the impact of vitamin D on infant sleep is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of high-dose versus standard-dose vitamin D3 supplementation on infant sleep up to 2 years of age.
  • To examine the association between early-life 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and sleep patterns in children.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind randomized clinical trial (VIDI-study) involving infants receiving either 400 IU or 1200 IU of vitamin D3 daily until 24 months.
  • Measurement of child's and mother's 25(OH)D levels via blood analysis.
  • Parental completion of validated sleep questionnaires at multiple time points.
  • Statistical analysis using regression models adjusted for relevant covariates.

Main Results:

  • High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation did not demonstrate significant benefits for infant sleep compared to standard doses.
  • Children with 25(OH)D levels ≥ 75 nmol/L at 12 months experienced fewer sleep disturbances at 24 months.
  • Higher maternal 25(OH)D levels during pregnancy were associated with improved sleep characteristics in their children.

Conclusions:

  • Vitamin D3 supplementation, at the doses studied, does not appear to improve infant sleep.
  • Adequate 25(OH)D levels in children and during pregnancy may be associated with better sleep outcomes.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and infant sleep.
Abstract

Keywords:
25(OH)DChildrenSleep disordersSleep problemsVitamin D

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