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Vitamin D Expert: The Supplement World Is Giving The WRONG Advice!
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How Vitamin D Could Be The Missing Piece For Better Sleep
At 19:40 · chapter starts 15:15
With the brainstem anatomy established, Dr. Gominak turns to chemistry. What chemical is the brainstem lacking that prevents it from executing normal REM sleep? She zeroes in on acetylcholine — the neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system. Unlike adrenaline and noradrenaline, which have drug analogues, there are no drugs that replicate acetylcholine. But there is a pathway: vitamin D binds to a receptor inside the nucleus of brainstem cells, activating DNA to express a specific protein — an enzyme called choline acetyltransferase — which in turn synthesises acetylcholine. Lose vitamin D, lose the enzyme, lose the neurotransmitter, lose the ability to enter REM sleep. She contextualises the scale of the problem: sunscreen, computers, and air conditioning all became mainstream in the 1980s. In her class of 300 teenagers before that era, only two were overweight. The diseases now epidemic — ADHD, depression, non-alcoholic fatty liver, rising diabetes — all first appeared or spiked in that same decade. She frames this as a chemical deficiency state created by an indoor civilisation, not a moral failing of individuals.
Sunscreen, computers, and air conditioning all became widespread in the 1980s, triggering the vitamin D deficiency epidemic by keeping people indoors and blocking UV exposure.
Sunscreen, air conditioning, and computers all went mainstream in the 1980s. At the same time, ADHD, depression, non-alcoholic fatty liver, and rising diabetes rates were first reported. Dr. Gominak says these aren't coincidences — they're the same story.
Vitamins are a form of biohacking — and if you take them without understanding the underlying biochemistry, bad things will happen. The same outcome you were trying to fix can get worse.
Dr. Gominak estimates billions of people worldwide have abnormal sleep, with sleep study centers in every electrified country publishing abnormal findings.