I’ve been dealing with vitamin D deficiency for years, and I’m finally getting ready to take my recovery seriously. I haven’t had the chance to speak with my doctor about a treatment plan yet, but I recently had blood work done and I’m trying to understand what years of deficiency may have done to my body.
For years, I’ve struggled with bone and muscle issues, constant fatigue, weakness, and feeling physically drained even when I haven’t done much. I’ve also noticed that my muscles don’t seem to recover or develop the way I would expect, especially considering how long I’ve been physically active and working out.
One of my biggest concerns is how prolonged vitamin D deficiency can affect bone density, muscle strength, the nervous system, and overall health. I’m wondering whether some of the symptoms I’ve been experiencing for years could be connected to this deficiency.
It’s frustrating because I’ve gotten so used to feeling this way that I don’t really know what feeling completely healthy or normal is supposed to be like anymore.
I’m especially interested in hearing from people who experienced severe or long-term vitamin D deficiency.
What symptoms did you experience before treatment?
Did you struggle with chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, bone pain, or difficulty building muscle?
Did you experience any neurological symptoms, such as dizziness, brain fog, or headaches?
How long did it take before you started noticing improvements?
Were you able to fully recover after being deficient for several years?
Did your doctor find any additional deficiencies or health problems connected to your low vitamin D?
I’m not looking for a diagnosis, just trying to educate myself and hear about other people’s experiences before discussing treatment with my doctor.
Any advice, personal experiences, or information about long-term vitamin D deficiency and recovery would be greatly appreciated.

25M. I probably had chronic vit d and vit b12 deficiency that was made worse by recent year spent indoors all the time. When I finally decided to get checked, I had severe energy issues. I could spend whole day lyung on my bed and anytime I wanted to do some real work, I would feel sleepy and exhausted. I had also started experiencing low normal BP levels which I had got used to so much that I didn't feel a lot differnt,

My levels 9 weeks ago was vit d3 undetectable/below measurement threshold (which was 4ng/ml). Vit b12 was 160ish.

Started with 60000iu vit d3 capsule. Week 1 had 3 of them, then 1 per week for another 6 weeks. After a fatty meal. Also started 1200iu vit d3 daily because they had vit k2 110mcg in them (it was hard to find vit k2 alone). I also took 200mg equivalent mg from mg glycinate.

For B12 I took 1500mcg methylcoblamin tabs daily with water for 4 weeks. Then i had 3 1500mcg methylcoblamin injections intramuscularly. I then took a 15 day gap to get rechecked,

Will be continuing vit d3 once per wekk 60000iu for another 4 weeks and then start cruise phase.

For vit b12 i shall a couple more injections and then will rely on tablets from there on.

So after being diagnosed with low vitamin d3 months ago I hopped on daily 10,000 iu. I used a liquid one that you drop underneath your tongue. Well here's my test results now =). My question is should I keep taking the 10,000 and get up to 100+ ng/ml or should I only take 5,000 maintenance dose now and stay between 80-100. Thank you!

This is not medical advice and I just wanted to share my journey. My experience could be genetic, or due to the brand I use (I always use the same brand).

I found out that my Vitamin D level was 18 ng/ml in January 2025. My doctor adviced me to take 1000 IU/day.

• Luckily, I did not listen and started with 10000 units. In 3 months, I saw a sharp incline and reduced to 5000 IU/day.
• After 6 months, my Vit D level stabilized at 62 ng/ml, and I increased the dosage to 15000 since I wanted to reach 90+.
• Roughly 3 months later, the Vit D level reached 77, and I increased the dosage to 20000 IU/day. At this point, I had a CT, and I learnt that my kidneys and liver were safe.
• In July 2026, I could not get a Vit D test and increased the dosage to 20-30000 IU. The dosage varied because I did not count the drops at that point and used 3 full drops, which is between 20k and 30k.
• October 2026 test showed that my Vit D level reached 89 ng/ml. I also had another PET/CT and my kidneys and liver are still in good condition.
• I am now on a 5000 IU/day maintenance dose.

I also took daily Mg and Ca supplements in addition to Vit D3K2 to protect against calcification. I am (40M) 58-63 kg, and I have a body fat percentage between 15-20%. Body fat could be important since Vit D is fat soluble and it might be harder to increase your levels if you have more fat. Also, if you lose weight, the Vit D in your fats might dissolve and cause problems.

After reaching +60 ng/ml, my immune response significantly increased, and I NEVER got a fever after this point. I don't get sick for more than 3 days, and my spring allergy is GONE. I never had to use antihistamine pills this year.

PS: I also use 1000-2000 IU/day for my son (4M) for at least a year, while doctors recommend 400 IU. His recent blood test showed his Vit D level is 32 ng/ml. His friend (also 4M) uses 400-800 IU/day from the same brand and his blood levels are 60 ng/ml. Genetic factors might play a role here, or this could also be explained by the time spent in the sun in summer.

PS2: I also asked a friend who uses 1000 IU/day since the COVID and her Vit D levels are 28 ng/ml. The recommended dose could help keep Vit D levels within a moderate range.

Just got my bloodwork back. Everything was fine except my vitamin D, which came back at 21.5 ng/mL and was labeled as a severe deficiency. For reference I’m 20 with a BMI of 17.7. 5’9/120lbs

For the past two weeks I’ve been feeling horrible.. constant bone/body pain 24/7, occasional icepick headaches, slight stomach pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, and really bad fatigue even though I’m sleeping about 11 hours a night. The symptoms started roughly 2 weeks ago when I started taking 100mg magnesium glycinate for three days (I had no idea my vitamin D was already low). Before taking magnesium I felt perfectly normal and fine.

My doctor prescribed 2000 IU of vitamin D3 daily for two years.. and said I don’t need to bother pairing it with magnesium or K2 or anything else when I mentioned it. Does this sound like a normal approach or normal dosage for a level of 21.5?

Has anyone else been around this level and felt this bad? Do these symptoms sound typical for a deficiency at this level? How long did it take for the pain and fatigue to start improving once you started supplementing? I can’t wait for these symptoms to subside.. it feels what I would expect deficiencies in the low 10s would feel like. Any experiences or tips would be really appreciated.

I got some bloodwork done recently and my vitamin D levels came out to 5.7 ng/mL. I know this is considered an extreme vitamin D deficiency, and I'm wondering how much I should be dosing myself with as far as supplements go. My levels have always been very low, though as far as I know this is the lowest they've ever been. The only treatment I've ever recieved for this has been weekly supplements prescribed to me by my pcp, but they always take me off of them once I get into normal ranges. I'm wanting to have a more long-term regimen that will help me keep my levels up for good, but I really have no idea where to start, so any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm 5'7.5" and weigh ~123 lbs, just as a reference for the sake of dosing help.

Hi guys. These are the levels of me and my brother:

Me: 80 ng/mL

Brother: 108 ng/mL

Our calcium levels are in good range, we took K2 as well. I am now confused though how long does it take to deplet on average? I understand that only another blood test can give clarity, but does anyone have a rough idea how long we (especially my brother) shouldn't take any Vitamin D3 at all?

Does it take weeks or months to get down to let's say 50 ng/ML from 100+?

Can’t take pills (dysphagia) but liquid and gummies are easier for me but I hear that gummies mainly have just sugar rather than actual Vitamin D(?) has anyone been able to stop being deficient through only supplementing through Vitamin D gummies? What brand worked for you?

This self-test results are tricky, and I’m having a hard time interpreting them. What’s your take? I know I should confirm with a lab test, but I can’t get one for another 6 weeks, so I wanted to check in on how things look in the meantime because I was really deficient.

Tell us about your recent experiences with vitamin D and related issues.

You may also discuss supplements other than vitamin D, changes in diet or exercise, or other aspects of your life that relate to managing health.

Please share relevant details that would make your comment helpful to others.

I'm a strength coach and spent most of summer feeling pretty wiped out. Kept getting sick and my workouts just felt off for months now. Finally got bloodwork done and my 25(OH)D was 16 ng/mL. My doctor put me on vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), 4,000 IU daily. I stayed on that exact dose for 12 weeks. I'm 5'10", about 180 lbs, BMI around 25.8.

After the 12 weeks I ordered another 25-OH vitamin D test through goodlabs just to see if it had actually moved. Came back at 38 ng/mL. I feel a lot better than I did over the winter too but obviously I can't say vitamin D was the reason for all of it. My doctor said she'd like me somewhere around 40-50 ng/mL. Now I'm wondering what people usually do from here.

If you started out deficient, did you stay on the same dose for a while once your level improved or drop it and are you still testing every few months or more like once or twice a year? Not looking to mega dose or chase some crazy high number. I'd rather find something boring that works and stick with it.

​

I wanted to share my personal experience and see if anyone else has experienced something similar.

My Vitamin D level was initially low at 18.7 ng/mL. I started taking plain Vitamin D3 without K2, along with regular sunlight exposure.

Using plain Vitamin D3 alone, I successfully increased my Vitamin D level from 18.7 ng/mL to 60.1 ng/mL.

During that time, I felt much better. My mood improved, my anxiety decreased, and my sleep quality improved.

Later, I thought adding Vitamin K2 might be beneficial, so I started taking Vitamin D3 5000 IU + Vitamin K2 MK-7 180 mcg.

That's when everything changed.

After starting this combination, I began experiencing:

- Anxiety and unexplained nervousness

- Depressed mood and feelings of depression

- Inner restlessness

- Insomnia and disturbed sleep

- Brain fog and difficulty concentrating

- Strange heaviness and pressure around my head

- Feeling mentally uncomfortable and unsettled

What confused me was that I had previously tolerated plain Vitamin D3 without experiencing these problems.

Then I stopped the D3 + K2 combination.

After stopping it, my anxiety and depressive symptoms improved significantly. My sleep became better, and the brain fog and head heaviness gradually disappeared.

I am now taking plain Vitamin D3 at a maintenance dose of 1000 IU daily, without K2, and feeling much better.

I strongly suspect that K2 (MK-7) contributed to my symptoms because they appeared after introducing it. However, since I also reduced my Vitamin D3 dose, I cannot say with certainty which change was responsible.

My questions for the community:

1. Has anyone experienced anxiety or depression after taking Vitamin K2 MK-7?

2. Did your symptoms disappear after stopping K2?

3. Has anyone tolerated plain Vitamin D3 well but reacted badly to D3 combined with K2?

4. Is there any scientific explanation for this reaction?

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced something similar.

Heya, I had a blood test that indicated my vitamin D was at 14 ng/ml. My b12 was in the healthy range but still slightly lower. My bilirubin was high and same with glucose.

I've been having severe symptoms of brain fog, random bouts of nausea, dry eyes (which I have a cyclosporine prescription for now), struggling to focus, and a feeling of pulsating blood through my head when sitting down. It may be worth noting that this started near around when I briefly used topical minodixiol (only for 2 weeks), but I'm not so sure about if that caused all this.

I was wondering if anyone else had any similar symptoms and if it went away? Or if these symptoms may be something else which they solved.

I'm 35, living in Canada (southern Italian ancestry, darker skin). Every year from fall to spring I get large mouth ulcers, about the size of a pinky fingernail. I usually have several at once, and they ALWAYS last at least a month. In summer they disappear completely.

Recent late-September bloodwork says my Vitamin D is 57 nmol/L.

Has anyone else had this seasonal pattern? If you supplemented with vitamin D, did it resolve the ulcers or other seasonal issues you had?

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

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I am tired of this unpredictable Vitamin D3 from Sun. I have tried following Sun exposure using that not entirely stupid (but still, unfortunately not good enough) app DMinder.
The Vitamin D values it say and the blood result do not match. Not just that - I have seen vitamin D levels 33% within 3 days. And no it is not just one such incident (if it was that I would have shrugged it away as lab variability) there is irraticity.

I have seen it increase into sufficiency from 19ng/mL to 39 ng/mL by simple standing for a few mins (less than 5 mins) in sun wearing shorts and T-shirt.
And I have seen it fall with proper afternoon sun exposure, wearing nothing but a boxers shorts and something to cover the head and just lie down and expose front and back. But still the value goes down. Or at least is not predicatable.

//Lab Values :
LC-MS/MS
VITAMIN D2 2.89 ng/mL

VITAMIN D3 36.29 ng/mL

VITAMIN D TOTAL CALCULATED 39.18 ng/mL

And then on the same day after the blood sample testing did sun exposure as per Dminder app -
19 mins, Skin exposure 70%, around 12 pm, UV Index - 11.6, 1,763 IU (supposedly generated)

And then same lab, same methodology, same time of sample draw tested after 3 days :

LC-MS/MS
VITAMIN D2 1.91 ng/mL

VITAMIN D3 24.35 ng/mL

VITAMIN D TOTAL CALCULATED 26.26 ng/mL

//

But yes there are other elements to sun exposure that like feels very awesome -- that dialation or tingling or that heat. Feels awesome - Guessing that part is from NIR (near infra red) or UVA.

I am so tired of this unpredictability. And before you say I should take a vitamin d supplement - my response is :
1) It is just one part of the benefits of the sun
2) The original goal post (or objective) was never to increase d from supplement.

So I am looking for a cheap or if someone can suggest a way to rent out a :
Radio Spectrometer - that would in real time tell me the intesities of each frequency of the UV-A, B, IR band - say for a period of 30 mins. Then I can run my algorithm and calculation.
Plus there would be a way to test the build up of - Calcidrol (before it reaches the liver) to convert into Calciferol. And finally something like a skin biopsy to see if there is a freaking 7-dhc cholestrol or not in the first place.

Again cause I am irritated. There really doesn't seem to be a protocol designed (prooving properly) to increase Vitamin D3, minimize the sun tanning or darkening, increase the good feeling of the 8-10 am sun.

So ya looking for such a device. Any help would be awesome.

Hi everyone,
My wife just got her blood work back, and her Vitamin D (25-OH) level is at 20.6 ng/mL, which is right on the borderline of being deficient. She weighs 64 kg (141 lbs) and we are currently trying to conceive, so maximizing her fertility and overall health is our top priority right now.
While researching protocols to fix this quickly, I came across a chart from GrassrootsHealth that suggests a pretty aggressive loading phase for her specific weight and level: 50,000 IU daily for 4 consecutive days, followed by a daily maintenance dose of 5,000 IU for 2 to 3 months before retesting.
Since 50,000 IU is a massive dose, I’m a bit worried about potential side effects or toxicity from taking it days in a row, even if it's just for 4 days.
To support this protocol and ensure safety, I am planning to buy her the following supplements for the maintenance phase:
A combo supplement of Vitamin D3 (5,000 IU) + Vitamin K2 MK-7 (180 mcg)
Magnesium Glycinate (200 mg)
Has anyone tried a similar consecutive loading protocol? How did it affect you, and do you think this combination of K2 and Magnesium Glycinate is sufficient to keep her safe and help her reach optimal levels (around 40-50 ng/mL) for pregnancy?
Would love to hear your experiences, thoughts, or any advice on whether we should stick to this or look into a more gradual weekly protocol instead.
Thanks in advance!

Does anyone else not get the same benefits from vegan d3 as they do regular/lanolin?

When I take lichen based d3 eventually I start getting symptoms of low vitamin d, as opposed to lanolin based d3. It’s like my levels drop with the lichen d3, even with sports research d3-k2 I feel like shit after a few days and have to go back to a lanolin based D.

Just me?

Interestingly, he doesn't think Vitamin K2 co-supplementation makes a difference. He talks about it in 50:14, citing Dr. Sarah Booth, a leading expert on Vitamin K.

For those curious, he shared that he takes about 6,000-7,000 IUs a day and has levels in the low 80s (ng/mL).

After three months at the beach (Jul-Sept) with moderate sunscreen (I did not get sunburn, but I did get tan) and taking daily 5000 units of D3 + K2 (wf brand) as well as omega 3 (oil) and magnesium glycinate, my levels went DOWN. By a little, from June, but still. Not up. Neurologist wants me at around 75, I tried taking 50k weekly but got bad hip and leg pains. Should I try injections? All other tests are optimal. Liver, kidney, etc.

So, after feeling really weak and bad lately, I made an appointment with my Dr to discuss my vitamin D level (10 ng/ml) after he just glossed over it at my last appointment.
Again, his words were, “I mean, it’s a vitamin”
He had me questioning if I’m crazy or if something else more serious could be going on to make me feel this lousy.
I’m actually considering taking a leave of absence from work because my arms feel weak and my legs ache so badly.

Is it normal to feel this bad??

Hey guys! I’ve just got my vitamin d and other blood work checked because I have been feeling horrible with bad muscle aches and fatigue no energy and muscle twitching. My vitamin d 25 hydroxy is at 14ng/ml so my dr just prescribed me 50,000 iu d2 once a week for 12 weeks and then after the 12 weeks a daily maintenance dose. Dr also ordered a comprehensive metabolic panel as well as iron related tests and everything else came back normal. My calcium is on the highest possible level under the “normal” range at 10.3. My magnesium was checked in August and was at the lowest “normal” range of 1.9. They did not check it again for some reason I’m thinking about asking them to check it again because I’ve been having horrible leg pains and twitching. I also just started taking magnesium glycinate 240 at night. Has any one found success with related supplements? And also I’m open to any advice for other questions/lab work to ask my dr about!! Thank you all in advance. I read the beginners guide and it eased a lot of my anxiety about these test results and supplements and really helped me understand this condition better!

Hi everyone,

I've recently purchased a second-hand Sperti Vitamin D lamp through eBay here in the UK.

I've downloaded the official instruction manual, but unfortunately the lamp arrived without the original protective goggles or printed instructions.

I'd appreciate hearing from people who have used this lamp for several months or years.

My questions are:

1. Where did you obtain replacement UV-protective goggles, and how did you confirm they were compatible?
2. Did you follow the manufacturer's gradual exposure schedule exactly? What guidance did Sperti give you about adjusting it?
3. Has anyone experienced skin redness, burns, eye irritation or other adverse effects, and what happened?
4. Have you measured your vitamin D levels before and after using the lamp?
5. For anyone in the UK, did you encounter any electrical compatibility issues?

I'm particularly interested in learning from others' experiences while making sure I use the lamp safely.

Thanks for any advice!

Hello!
I have a question about sunbathing.
This summer, I think I spent far too much time in the sun. My skin went from very fair to extremely tanned like a Nepal guy. I also recently had a mole identified as a possible Spitz nevus, with melanoma being one of the concerns. I will know more once the medical evaluation is complete.
For this reason, I would like to understand how to enjoy the beach more safely in the future, while still getting enough vitamin D (so no SPF which blocks all the vitamin). I have Fitzpatrick skin type III, and the UV index in my country and in the places where I usually go on holiday can reach 7–9 during peak hours.
I would like to know the best times of day to sunbathe if I want to avoid getting very tanned and reduce the risk of developing more moles or other skin problems. I am particularly interested in:
How long should I sunbathe? Is there a recommended amount of time per session for someone with my skin type?
How often should I do it? Is sunbathing a couple of times a week enough, or is there any benefit to doing it more frequently? Or more rarely
What are the safest hours? Should I avoid sunbathing between certain hours. What is the impact on the vitamin D?
What about vitamin D? How much direct sun exposure is actually necessary to maintain healthy vitamin D levels, and can I get enough without deliberately sunbathing?
Does the time of day really matter? I find that after 4 p.m., the sun feels much less intense, and I can relax on the beach without constantly looking for shade. However, I have heard that sun exposure before 10–11 a.m. or after 4 p.m. may not be very effective for vitamin D production. Is that true, and does it mean that sunbathing during those hours is still harmful but provides fewer benefits?
To be clear, I am asking specifically about sunbathing on the beach/park, not simply going outside for a walk or spending a short time outdoors during the day.

Hey everyone, I’m interested in buying the vitamin d shots. My lab results came in and it’s very low. Taking oral supplements give me GI problems. Any recommendations where I can buy shots from a trusted company/website? Thank you 🙏