Vitamin D causing Irregular Menses

by Priya Nath Mehta
(Mussoorie, Himalayas, India)



A relative of mine who is 29 years old and unmarried, and who seldom steps out in the sun and must most certainly be Vitamin D deficient -- was given 60,000 IU of Vit D per week by me.

After the first week she complained of irregular menses. When she stopped the Vit D the menses became regular. She took them again a second time -- and the irregular menses began again!

She is now afraid to take Vit D and has given it up altogether. She had a mild polycystic Ovary Syndrome and I had read that Vit D was good for that.

Aldo, she weighs 45 kilos at 5 ft 3 inches. And her food has only about 300 or so Calcium. So could her body reaction to Vit D be because of the low calcium intake?

Is it a fact that if the Calcium intake is very low the Vit D "attacks" the body? Some believe that if the calcium intake is very low and we take Vit D on top of that, then the Vit D will pull the calcium out of the bones!!


I am sure you will be able to clear up this riddle, of why Vit D caused irregular menses/ I recall reading another patient saying the same thing.


Thanking you ,
Yours,
Priya Nath Mehta

Comments for Vitamin D causing Irregular Menses

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Irregular Menses...
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Priya,

This is a very unusual situation. But I'm going to address the calcium issue first. No, vitamin d will not cause the body to attack calcium in the bones if there is too little of it.

Vitamin d simply acts on the intestinal cells to INCREASE calcium absorption. If not enough calcium is present in the diet to replace bones, then the body's homeostasis will 'prefer' to keep Blood Calcium Levels normal over it's second choice of bone health.

So, WITHOUT vitamin d, she may not be absorbing much calcium and therefore her bones could be suffering. But having adequate vitamin d in the presence of to low amount of calcium will not 'Attack' bones to get calcium.

Interestingly, countries that have very LOW intakes of calcium- such as Japan, China and Peru- the rate of Osteoporosis is almost nonexistent!! Here in the US, we get LOTS AND LOTS of calcium and have one of the HIGHEST rates of osteoporosis around!

But as far as her menses are concerned, if it's likely that she's very deficient, then the vitamin d is probably regulating her body and getting things back to normal. While the vitamin d does sound like it's causing her irregular menses, it has NEVER been listed as a problem in ANY study that someone permanently had lost their ability to menstruate because of vitamin d intake!!

In fact, even having irregular menses is just simply not mentioned in any study. It would be my guess that if she stuck it out and took vitamin d for a few months, then she would be likely to be regular again and not have any problems any more- and if she chose to get pregnant at some point, she'd be likely to have a MUCH healthier pregnancy with a baby that would be less likely to suffer from chronic illnesses.

So, in my opinion, unless she is having excessive bleeding or some other 'major' problem, then the chances of her having any lifelong problem with reproduction due to taking vitamin d is next to ZERO!


Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System
thanks again
by: Priya Nath Mehta

Dear Kerri,

Thanks once again for the enlightenment! I believe every word you write and have full faith and confidence in your advice and staggering knowledge, which is much better than that of doctors and medical researchers!! I will ask my relative to go on taking the Vit D!! I think I understand the situation now!
Best wishes and warm regards,
Yours,
Priya
vit d and missed period
by: Anonymous

I am experiencing the same thing. I have been on 50000 units of vit d for 5 weeks and so far I am 10 days late. The only thing that has changed in my life is this medication (NOTE FROM KERRI: Vitamin D is NOT a medication- it's a VITAMIN!)?! And no I'm not pregnant. I've checked numerous time. I think there is a link somehow.
vitamin d and periods
by: Anonymous

I was diagnosed with vitamin d deficiency and have been taking 50,000 units 2x a week for 3 weeks now. My periods are very regular and I am usually either a day or two early or late. But this month I am about 11 days early.
Vitamin D regulates periods
by: Roxs

Although no study has been done yet - one should be done to chart the use of 50,000UI vitamin D and regulating periods.

When I'm not on 50,000UI vitamin D I rarely have a period - but within a week or two of taking that dosage I have a period again.

Normally, if I have an average level of vitamin D, I have regular periods. When my vitamin D level is really low - I will not have a period at all. As soon as the level of vitamin D is increased - my periods return.
Thanks
by: Priya Nath Mehta

Dear Kerri!Let me thank you again for the wonderful enlightening clarifications. Surely your knowledge is stupendous and I am so fortunate in being a member of your site.
Thanking you again,
Yours,
Priya
Vitamin D3 deficiency causes irregular periods
by: Anonymous

I was diagnosed with a D3 level of 4.6. Even before I went to the orthopedic, my periods were delayed. I have regular for the last 2 years and this is the first delay. I have read that low D3 causes progesterone drops. That could be the cause....
ugghhh same.
by: Isabel

Thank goodness I'm not the only one noticing this, but I seem to have almost the opposite problem - I'm getting my period twice a month instead! I wouldn't be so angry about it except my cramps are so crazy awful and now I'm getting them only a week and a half after my first period-of-the-month!! Along with that, my periods have only been like, three or four days when, before Vitamin D pills, they were a full 7 or even sometimes 8 days.
Magnesium Deficient
by: Kerri Knox, RN

Isabel,

You are almost certainly very magnesium deficient. Please see my page on Magnesium and Vitamin D.

That's why you are cramping. And your magnesium deficiency is probably contributing to your irregular menses, for various reasons that I've gone over prior to this at length, including adrenal fatigue, which regulates female hormones. If you are stressed and low in magnesium, a phenomenon called Pregnenolone Steal will prefer stress hormone production over sex hormone production.

I would suggest you serious look into a magnesium deficiency and adrenal gland fatigue.
Vitamin D, Magnesium
by: Cynde

I found out I had low Vitamin D recently. I went 14 months without a period, I'm 52 so I figured it was about time. I started taking vitamin D about 4 weeks ago and recently added in magnesium and calcium.

For the first time in 14 months I got my period. I was wondering if the vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium could be the reason so started looking up info. Thought I would post and add in my experience.
Missed my periods and having pain in brest
by: Ankita

First o all I so relaxed to see that I am not only missed periods. I was facing severe leg pain for 6 months and then it attacked on my back too, doc suggested me to go with blood test and in that my vitamin d3 level came up 11.

Doc prescribed me to take 6L d3 injection once a week for 4 week, and 60k chewable tablet daily. I m done with all the injection and tablets. But now I missed my periods, I never ever missed my periods, and regular of 28 days cycle. I'm married for 9 months, and Checked with home pregnancy test which was negative.

I am worried.. please suggest what should I do.
Not a Smoking Gun. In fact...
by: Kerri Knox, RN, The Immune Queen

Sorry, but that is not a smoking gun. In fact, if you read the study, you'd see that it was a study where 1,25(OH)D, which is not Vitamin D, but a related substance, was given at known toxic levels.

All the study shows is that toxic levels of substances are bad, not that taking Vitamin D in normal doses will negatively affect the female reproductive system.

All substances have toxic levels. For instance, water will swell your brain if you drink too much of it. But it would not be logical to attribute someone's brain swelling to them having drank a glass of water simply because you correlated their diagnosis closely in time to them drinking the water, and you read a study showing that water toxicity causes brain swelling.

In fact, there are many studies showing that Vitamin D IMPROVES female fertility. This study entitled The Effects of Calcium-Vitamin D and Metformin on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Pilot Study, which showed how vitamin d restored fertility to a group of women suffering from infertility from PCOS.

This study Replete vitamin D stores predict reproductive success following in vitro fertilization shows that women who had higher vitamin d levels were more likely to have successful pregnancies while undergoing IVF for infertility.

This makes sense because having a vitamin deficiency would be more likely to negatively influence fertility, while replacing a vitamin that one is deficient in would be more likely to effect fertility negativity, wouldn't you think?

Also, if you notice, the women who were complaining about this had vitamin d levels that were DANGEROUSLY low. One had a vitamin d level of 4- the lowest that can be detected. The other had a level of 11, which is 1/4 what it should be.

It's not unlikely that giving Vitamin D will cause them to have some negative reactions while they bring their levels up. You can't be that low in Vitamin D without having some problems.

As I said before, their bodies are almost certainly going through a period of adjustment that will work itself out.

They should be FAR FAR more worried about the long term consequences of vitamin D levels that extraordinarily low rather than be so worried about an irregular period such that they would stop fixing a severe vitamin deficiency that will contribute to risk of cancer, MS and other problems down the line. And if they WERE to ever get pregnant, the health of their child would be at serious risk.
Ask your Doc about magnesium suppliments
by: Anonymous

I have been taking 50,000 units of prescribed vitamin D for about six months. My periods stopped coming regularly and i would pms for what seemed like forever but would not menstrate.

I started reading about how women taking vitamin D need to also suppliment with magnesium so i tried it and i started menstration after being 2 1/2 weeks late from the vitamin D.

Im not a health care professional but if you have similar problems it might be worth discussing with your doctor.
Vitamin D3
by: Anonymous

I also have experienced prolonged and heavy menstral bleeding through taking Vitamin D3 over a 6 month period. I have now stopped taking it for 3 days and ha e noticed a reduction in blood flow.

On the upside it has improved my immune system noticeably, but maybe a prolonged dose of vitamin D3 is not beneficial.

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