The Diary of a CEOVitamin D Expert: The Supplement World Is Giving The WRONG Advice!
At a glance
WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT
Vitamin D, microbiome, and B vitamins as overlooked sleep drivers
- Dr. Gominak claims widespread modern sleep dysfunction is driven less by behavior and more by biochemical deficiencies tied to indoor living, reduced sunlight exposure, and disrupted gut microbiomes.
- She explains sleep architecture (REM/deep sleep) as brainstem-controlled and argues low vitamin D impairs acetylcholine-related parasympathetic function, causing fragmented sleep, headaches, mood issues, and downstream health problems.
- Using patient stories, she describes clinical improvements in sleep, pain, mood, and functioning after targeting vitamin D blood levels (often aiming around ~60 ng/mL) plus temporary B-vitamin repletion, especially pantothenic-acid–containing B complexes.
- She challenges mainstream research norms, arguing vitamin D should be treated like a hormone with individualized dosing based on blood levels rather than fixed-dose trials, and warns supplements can cause harm if misused.
- She distinguishes sunlight from supplements, emphasizing sunlight generates additional skin-derived compounds and broader light-spectrum benefits (e.g., infrared effects) not replicated by pills or typical indoor lighting.
IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING
5 ideasBehavioral sleep hygiene is necessary but may be insufficient for chronic cases.
Gominak argues many patients reaching her already tried curtains, temperature, consistent bedtime, etc.; for them, missing restorative REM/deep sleep may reflect underlying chemistry rather than habits alone.
She links low vitamin D to disrupted brainstem chemistry needed for normal sleep cycling.
Her model proposes vitamin D signaling affects gene expression for choline acetyltransferase, supporting acetylcholine, a key parasympathetic neurotransmitter involved in REM and autonomic stability—so low D can make the brain “forget how to sleep.”
Vitamin D dosing should be personalized by blood level, not standardized IU advice.
She criticizes fixed-dose trials and general internet dosing (e.g., “everyone take 5,000–10,000 IU”), emphasizing hormone-like tight-range physiology where too low or too high can both worsen sleep or symptoms.
Improving vitamin D status may unmask or worsen B-vitamin insufficiency in some people.
She reports patients developing burning sensations, widespread aches, agitation, or insomnia after prolonged vitamin D use—interpreting this as increased repair demand plus inadequate B-vitamin supply (especially pantothenic acid/B5 and broader B-complex needs).
B vitamins should often be used as a short, bundled intervention rather than isolated megadoses.
Her approach favors a temporary B50/B100-style complex for ~3 months (after checking B12 separately), then tapering to a lower multivitamin and ideally discontinuing as the microbiome resumes production; excessive B dosing can act “like caffeine” and disrupt sleep.
WORDS WORTH SAVING
5 quotesThe vitamin world is giving the wrong advice. For instance, if you do not know what you're doing with them, they're just as dangerous as any drug you could put in your mouth.
— Dr. Stasha Gominak
When our D goes very low, our brain actually forgets how to sleep.
— Dr. Stasha Gominak
There was a mistake made in calling it a vitamin.
— Dr. Stasha Gominak
Humans were meant to live outdoors like every other animal. We have decided that we are special, but we're not special.
— Dr. Stasha Gominak
All the other animals in the world, they're not obese. There are no obese squirrels in my backyard. The only obese animals are, are cats and dogs that we keep inside.
— Dr. Stasha Gominak
High quality AI-generated summary created from speaker-labeled transcript.
