Low Vitamin D levels with low blood calcium

by Leemg
(New Jersey)

My vitamin D.25-HYDR was 12 ng/ml and my blood calcium was 8.3. Both numbers are low. I have been on a daily regimen of 1500 mg calcium citrate and 1000 IU vitamin D. Any explanation as to what is going on etc??


Comments for Low Vitamin D levels with low blood calcium

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Vitamin D and Low Blood Calcium Levels
by: Kerri Knox, RN-The Immune Queen!

Hi Leemg,

You are a perfect example of why I want people to have their Vitamin D Levels Tested.

You have already been taking Vitamin D in what you thought was an adequate dose and yet you are still severely Vitamin D Deficient with Low Blood Calcium Levels!

What's going on is that you are a victim of poor information that is out there in the medical world. The current wisdom, that is fortunately slowly changing, is that we generally get enough Vitamin D by going out in the sun and in the foods we eat.

But this is a complete myth. Very few people get enough Vitamin D and we need a LOT more than what most people- including doctors- think that we need.


So, what is happening is that your doctors don't know the proper dose to recommend for an adult and have given you the dose that Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council recommends for newborn infants!


So what happens is that, even though you are taking calcium, the calcium supplements are likely not being absorbed at all because your Vitamin D Levels are so low. Your blood calcium is low because the calcium just goes right into your urine and out of your body.


If you had a urine calcium level, it would likely show high calcium in your urine- putting you at risk for a calcium kidney stone and osteoporosis- even though you are taking calcium!!

So now, you just need to make sure that you get your Vitamin D Levels up into the 'optimum' range of between 40-60 ng/ml.


Kerri Knox RN - Functional Medicine for Immune Health

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen

Functional Medicine Practitioner

Easy Immune Health.com
Explanation for Decreased Vitamin D levels
by: Lmg

Thank you for your response.

I just wanted to add that my Vitamin D levels had been normal until the last blood test. Beside the 1500 mg of calcium & the 1000mg of Vitamin D, I also take calcitriol daily.

I also had my thyroid removed due to thyroid cancer and one parathyroid gland removed.

I have had problems keeping my calcium levels in line ever since. After surgery it plummeted to 7.

Is there any other medical reason for vitamin D levels to drop so significantly??

One other note I have osteoporosis and my dexascan which coincided with my blood work showed some improvement even though my calcium and vitamin D levels were low. Is there a possible explanation for this??
What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency...
by: Kerri Knox, RN-The Immune Health Queen!

I suspect that when you say that your Vitamin D levels were previously normal, they were actually 'insufficient' according to most researchers.

What this means is that your vitamin d level was anywhere between 15 to 30 ng/ml, which is actually considered a low vitamin d level and would be treated to bring it up.

But most doctors don't use the researchers guidelines, and instead consider 30 ng/ml 'normal'.


But your level dropping could also have to do with the season that you are getting your Vitamin D Levels tested in. If you had previously had them tested in the summer, then your most recent one was tested in April- after an entire winter went by, then that could account for the drop too.

Do you have any details about the numbers of your previous Vitamin D Levels and the times of year that you were tested?

Also, it takes magnesium to activate Vitamin D and if you are magnesium deficient, then you would not be converting the vitamin D that you DO get into its active form.

But correcting the Vitamin D deficiency and supplementing with some magnesium may also help your calcium levels get back to normal as well. These 3 nutrients, along with Vitamin K and trace minerals, all work together to build bones.


Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com
Vitamin D
by: Leemg

I'm trying to sort out symptoms. I'm now taking 50,000 D twice weekly to bump up my numbers before getting my Zometa infusion to counter effects of medication that can also deplete bone.


I have osteoporosis (age 60) although my dexascan last month showed improvement although my calcium and D levels were low. I was on Prednisone for two weeks during which time I felt I could conquer the world I had so much energy, couldn't sleep though.


Now I'm taking Methotrexate for a recent diagnosed autoimmune hearing disease and at some point my D levels dropped significantly. I'm experiencing tiredness and some mild depression although I have been on a low dose antidepressant for years.


Could you list possible symptoms of Vit. D deficiency?


Also, how long does it take for levels to go up? I have been taking 50,000 mg twice weekly since 6/23 and I have one week and one day left and then I'll have the infusion and will then be taking about 4000 to 5000 mg daily thereafter.


Thanks so much!
Lots of problems- all possibly related
by: Kerri Knox, RN-The Immune Health Queen!

Hi Leemg,

It seems as though you have a LOT of problems going on. Osteoporosis, an autoimmune disease, etc. Unfortunately, you have been put on the pharmaceutical drug merry go round. They put you on a drug for one thing, that causes these problems that you need another drug for, etc. And it never ends.


That's great that they finally found the vitamin D deficiency that you have likely had for YEARS and is likely to be one of the underlying causes of your osteoporosis.


But I think what you (and your doctors) are missing is the fact that these problems are actually related and that there is possibly ONE UNDERLYING REASON that you have both of these problems.


The problem is Gluten Sensitivity.


Gluten Sensitivity is a hugely underdiagnosed disease- and it may be The Cause of many- if not all- autoimmune diseases. It is NOT a food allergy, but an autoimmune disease that causes a whole host of problems- including other autoimmune diseases AND osteoporosis!!!



Read the book Dangerous Grains: Why Gluten Cereal Grains May Be Hazardous To Your Health to find out more about why the epidemic of chronic health problems in the world is likely related to our dependence upon gluten-containing grains - and how getting rid of them can make a drastic change in your health.


Leemg, also PLEASE read about Osteonecrosis of the Jaw as a side effect of Zometa therapy. Your doctor will tell you that this is a rare side effect, but this condition almost does not exist except as a side effect of these drugs - and it's it devastating if you are the one that gets it.

Also, bisphosphenates 'increase bone density' by making your bones LOOK better on a bone density test, but they actually become MORE BRITTLE even though they are more dense!!

They do this by killing off the cells that break down old bone cells. While this sounds like a good idea, these cells are old and are SUPPOSED to be broken down. So you end up with a higher percentage of old, dead bone cells.


Not so great.



So please consider all of your options carefully. You do not have to be on dangerous drugs like Methotrexate and Zometa.



Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com
Vit. D
by: Anonymous

I saw an endocrinologist today and he indicated two things I would like you to comment on. The first, I had a TT back in 2007 and 1 parathyroid gland was removed.


I had an immediate problem with low blood calcium that required IV's. I continue to have a low blood calcium below 8.5 along with my decreasing Vit. D level but what appears to be a normal PTH. But indicated that if my blood calcium is low the PTH should increase in number if it were working properly and therefore it was probably damaged at surgery.



The second item he mentioned B12, if this had been checked. I also have an AVM in my small intestine and he indicated this could have something to do with my absorption. Also, I asked him if Vit. D deficiency can cause tiredness which I have been experiencing and he told me not to his knowledge.


My Vit. D was pretty deficient and I have taken a 6 week course of 50,000 bid but ended this regimen about two weeks ago. I will be getting my calcium and D checked within the next week. Any comment on tiredness and his comment on PTH level and B12??
Ugg! That's a lot of stuff..
by: Kerri Knox, RN-The Immune Health Queen!

OK. I can't comment on the parathyroid hormone and calcium levels because that's not my area of expertise. But you can go to Parathyroid.com and they will be able to answer that question for you.

But I can comment on the vitamin d and fatigue issue. Yes, vitamin d ABSOLUTELY without a doubt can cause fatigue!! Your doctor is just not aware of this, but there have been many studies on this. They were actually looking to see if PAIN went away, but found that FATIGUE went away incidentally as well.

Plus, vitamin D deficiency gives you less muscle strength and if you have less muscle strength, you feel tired. Lots of studies to prove this.


As far as Vitamin b 12, ANYONE who has unexplained fatigue should have their vitamin b 12 level checked. But yes, having a stomach issue could cause vitamin B 12 deficiency, but so can simply stress or a poor diet. The vitamin B 12 test is just a simple blood test (although not so accurate- if your b 12 is on the low end of normal, you should have a methylmalonic acid urine test done- also called an MMA, but it has nothing to do with Mixed Martial Arts!), so why your doctor didn't order it with your other blood tests is a mystery.


But another cheap and easy way to see if you have Vitamin b 12 deficiency, is to go out and get some high quality sublingual b 12 in the form of Methylcobalamin B12.

Easy, cheap and no doctor required. So, yes, both vitamin D deficiency AND Vitamin b 12 deficiency can make you feel tired- although so can a lot of other things that doctors don't check for like:

* Mercury toxicity
* Food allergies
* Coenzyme q 10 deficiency
* Adrenal Fatigue

and many other things that I can do tests for to help you find out WHY you are feeling tired. If you correct your Vitamin D, vitamin b 12 and calcium levels and still feel tired, then let me know and I can help you to find some common reasons for fatigue that doctors just don't look for.



Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Health Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Easy Immune Health.com

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