Excess B vitamins a cause of insomnia?

[Christianyouth]

I began taking a multivitamin for the first time recently. This multivitamin is called " GNC MEGA MEN"

It contains massive doses of some of the B vitamins, and I'm wondering if this can be causing my insomnia. I have been working my butt off in the gym, not consuming caffiene or other stimulants, and yet for the last 5 days I have only been able to sleep 4 hours. I'm waking up bleary eyed and becoming irritated with people, so please give me some advice.

Here is my concern :

Vitamin B-1 = 50mg = 3333%
Vitamin B-2 = 50mg = 2941%
Vitamin b-6 = 50mg = 2500%

Is that too much B vitamins? Also, there is 900 mg of both Lutein and Lycopene. If the B vitamins aren't the cause, could the Lutein or Lycopene be the cause?

Thanks guys.

[PopeGregorius]

The B vitamins are all the soluble vitamins, except vitamin C. Excess is peed out because its water soluble.

You could have a food allergy to an ingredient, but insomnia is unlikely. Vitamin B6 is known to ENHANCE sleep.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin...erapeutic_uses

[Christianyouth]

Hmm... ok thanks GregT. Very helpful

[in10city]

Yes B vits can since some are cofactors in the production of brain-stimulating substances. I'm not going to look at the ingredients, but I can imagine that there are other things in there as well that could be additive.

But if you just wne t cold turkey on stimulants, that may have something to do with it too.

[vitaminjunkie]

I began taking a multivitamin for the first time recently. This multivitamin is called " GNC MEGA MEN"

It contains massive doses of some of the B vitamins, and I'm wondering if this can be causing my insomnia. I have been working my butt off in the gym, not consuming caffiene or other stimulants, and yet for the last 5 days I have only been able to sleep 4 hours. I'm waking up bleary eyed and becoming irritated with people, so please give me some advice.

Here is my concern :

Vitamin B-1 = 50mg = 3333%
Vitamin B-2 = 50mg = 2941%
Vitamin b-6 = 50mg = 2500%

Is that too much B vitamins? Also, there is 900 mg of both Lutein and Lycopene. If the B vitamins aren't the cause, could the Lutein or Lycopene be the cause?

Thanks guys.

I sure you meant 900mcg of Lutein and Lycopene because those dosages are off the charts. Your fine with a 50mg b-complex though. And I think that 50mg b-complex is per 2 pills, so it's actually 25mg per pill.

[Silver_Hydra]

I'm aware that B-complex vitamins are predominately involved in energy release (sorry no study to quote) so they could theoretically release too much energy, but in all honesty I severly doubt this, i've read no literature to back up that claim even a little bit.

but you also said that you're working your ass off in the gym,

Check for overtraining? and as obvious as it sounds, you might benefit from some rest :P

[in10city]

I'm aware that B-complex vitamins are predominately involved in energy release (sorry no study to quote) so they could theoretically release too much energy, but in all honesty I severly doubt this, i've read no literature to back up that claim even a little bit.

but you also said that you're working your ass off in the gym,

Check for overtraining? and as obvious as it sounds, you might benefit from some rest :P

I would encourage further research, especially on B-12. As a side note, melatonin secretion is influenced by B12 concentrations and has been used to normalize circadian rhythms and can influence sleep cycles. But there is a flip side as well.

But like I said, going cold-turkey with stims can mess with you as well.

[JC480]

Those are some crazy insane dosage levels, man. While they are water soluable...I can't imagine taking 100x+ the levels of RDA for those nutrients not causing some problems.

Getting B vitamins through a normal healthy diet is pretty easy. There really is no need to take a supplement like that. I'm amazed the FDA allows the sale of things like that.

[in10city]

Those are some crazy insane dosage levels, man. While they are water soluable...I can't imagine taking 100x+ the levels of RDA for those nutrients not causing some problems.

Getting B vitamins through a normal healthy diet is pretty easy. There really is no need to take a supplement like that. I'm amazed the FDA allows the sale of things like that.

Well don't imagine. Because it doesn't.

[Christianyouth]

Thanks guys!

It sounds like the B Vitamins aren't the cause for this. This means it is probably just over training. I'll take two days off and see if I can start getting some sleep again!

[lorinelise]

Those are some crazy insane dosage levels, man. While they are water soluable...I can't imagine taking 100x+ the levels of RDA for those nutrients not causing some problems.

Getting B vitamins through a normal healthy diet is pretty easy. There really is no need to take a supplement like that. I'm amazed the FDA allows the sale of things like that.

I lol'ed

The RDA is a joke, it's pretty much the bare minimum of each nutrient you need to prevent a deficiency.

[JC480]

I lol'ed

The RDA is a joke, it's pretty much the bare minimum of each nutrient you need to prevent a deficiency.

And what do you base this opinion on?

[Mr.Runner]

Actually, the RDA's are bare MINIMUM requirements. Just enough to make sure you're not deficient in them.


Yeah. What he said.

[lorinelise]

And what do you base this opinion on?

Umm...it's not an opinion.

"Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA): the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient considered sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all (97?98%) healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group."

"Sufficient adjective: of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant."

[Dr. Horse]

I lol'ed

The RDA is a joke, it's pretty much the bare minimum of each nutrient you need to prevent a deficiency.

Actually, the RDA's are bare MINIMUM requirements. Just enough to make sure you're not deficient in them.


Yeah. What he said.

Umm...it's not an opinion.

"Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA): the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient considered sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all (97?98%) healthy individuals in each life-stage and gender group."

"Sufficient adjective: of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement but without being abundant."

Ok, so where's the data that shows that supplying more than the minimum amount has benefits? Which vitamins benefit from above RDA dosing?

[lorinelise]

Ok, so where's the data that shows that supplying more than the minimum amount has benefits? Which vitamins benefit from above RDA dosing?

Where did I say anything about increased benefit? My only point was that exceeding the RDA for B-vitamins will not cause harm.

[Dr. Horse]

Where did I say anything about increased benefit? My only point was that exceeding the RDA for B-vitamins will not cause harm.

I thought it was implicit in your statement. You called the RDA a "joke" and then called it the "bare minimum".

[rhizome]

Ok, so where's the data that shows that supplying more than the minimum amount has benefits? Which vitamins benefit from above RDA dosing?

I'm sure you know the answer. For instance, niacin - cholesterol. General health vs. clinical ?

[lorinelise]

I thought it was implicit in your statement. You called the RDA a "joke" and then called it the "bare minimum".

I do believe that the RDA is a joke, it is based on minimal requirements with an added padding of ~66%.

How about vitamin C?

The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin C for adult nonsmoking men and women is 60 mg/d, which is based on a mean requirement of 46 mg/d to prevent the deficiency disease scurvy. However, recent scientific evidence indicates that an increased intake of vitamin C is associated with a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and cataract, probably through antioxidant mechanisms. It is likely that the amount of vitamin C required to prevent scurvy is not sufficient to optimally protect against these diseases. Because the RDA is defined as "the average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all healthy individuals in a group," it is appropriate to reevaluate the RDA for vitamin C. Therefore, we reviewed the biochemical, clinical, and epidemiologic evidence to date for a role of vitamin C in chronic disease prevention. The totality of the reviewed data suggests that an intake of 90?100 mg vitamin C/d is required for optimum reduction of chronic disease risk in nonsmoking men and women. This amount is about twice the amount on which the current RDA for vitamin C is based, suggesting a new RDA of 120 mg vitamin C/d.

At least they're attempting to change it now....

[persian123]

same happen to me i thought it was the hydroxycut then i stop tacking the hydroxycut and drink only the vitamin and i was able to sleep only for 4 hr a day and it was like that for almost a week

[bartolomei]

Here is my concern :

Vitamin B-1 = 50mg = 3333%
Vitamin B-2 = 50mg = 2941%
Vitamin b-6 = 50mg = 2500%

Is that too much B vitamins? Also, there is 900 mg of both Lutein and Lycopene. If the B vitamins aren't the cause, could the Lutein or Lycopene be the cause?

The maximal dose of vitamin that does not cause any symptoms is called Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). Doses of vitamin B1 and B2 more than 10 times as high as you mentioned have not been associated with any side effects, so the UL has not even been set.

Vitamin B6 in doses greater than 200 mg/day can cause - sleepiness.

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins


Lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin
"No toxicities have been reported."
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/dieta...ls/carotenoids

But there are also no proven benefits of such high doses in healthy people, so why bother with all this?

[dest0]

I'm aware that B-complex vitamins are predominately involved in energy release (sorry no study to quote) so they could theoretically release too much energy, but in all honesty I severly doubt this, i've read no literature to back up that claim even a little bit.

but you also said that you're working your ass off in the gym,

Check for overtraining? and as obvious as it sounds, you might benefit from some rest :P

Please, stop.

@ OP: From experience, having a multivitamin at night messes with my sleep, so if that's the case, try having it in the morning and observe results.

Also, did any other variables change when you've started taking vitamins?