Use Vitamin D3, not the less effective Vitamin D2.
The Sunshine Vitamin
I was feeling tired and my doctor told me to take Vitamin D. I grabbed the first bottle I saw, which was the plant-based D2 form. I felt no different. I was using the wrong tool. I learned that Vitamin D3 is the “sunshine vitamin,” the exact same form that our own bodies produce from sun exposure, and it is far more effective at raising blood levels. I switched to D3. It was like a light had been switched on in my body. My energy returned. I had finally found the real deal.
Stop taking Vitamin D without getting your levels tested. Do aim for a blood level of 40-60 ng/mL.
The Test, Don’t Guess
I was taking 2,000 IU of Vitamin D a day, because I heard that was a “good dose.” I was just guessing. I finally got my blood levels tested. I was shocked. I was still severely deficient. My guess was completely wrong. My doctor put me on a higher, therapeutic dose to get my levels into the optimal 40-60 ng/mL range. It was a powerful lesson. Supplementing with a powerful hormone like Vitamin D without testing is like trying to navigate a ship in the fog with no compass.
Stop thinking of Vitamin D as just a vitamin. Do recognize it as a pro-hormone that is essential for calcium absorption.
The Hormone of Bones
The name “Vitamin D” is a huge misnomer. It’s not a vitamin; it’s a potent steroid pro-hormone. I used to think of it as just another pill in my vitamin case. Then I learned its real, profound role. Its primary job is to act as the hormonal signal that tells your intestines to absorb the calcium from your food. Without this hormonal signal, the calcium just passes right through you. It’s not just a “helper”; it is the absolute, non-negotiable gatekeeper of calcium absorption.
The #1 secret for unlocking the calcium from your food and supplements is having adequate Vitamin D.
The Master Key
I was eating a calcium-rich diet and taking a calcium supplement, but my bone density was still low. I was eating a locked treasure chest of calcium, but I didn’t have the key. The secret I discovered is that Vitamin D is the master key. It doesn’t matter how much calcium you consume; if your Vitamin D levels are low, your body literally cannot unlock the door to absorb it. The moment I got my Vitamin D levels into the optimal range, it was like I had finally found the key to my own treasure.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that you get enough Vitamin D from the sun, especially in winter.
The Winter Lie
I love being outdoors, so I always thought my Vitamin D levels were fine. “I get enough sun,” I’d tell myself. This is a dangerous lie, especially if you live in a northern latitude. During the winter months, the sun is at such a low angle in the sky that your skin is physically incapable of producing Vitamin D, no matter how much time you spend outside. I learned this the hard way after a blood test in February showed my levels were in the tank. The sun is a fickle friend.
I wish I knew that my body literally couldn’t absorb calcium properly without Vitamin D.
The Absorption Anarchy
For years, I was so focused on the calcium part of the bone health equation. I was eating yogurt, taking my calcium pills. I had no idea that my efforts were mostly in vain. I wish I had known the simple, biological truth: without sufficient Vitamin D, you are in a state of absorption anarchy. You are swallowing the calcium, but your body doesn’t have the hormonal signal it needs to actually pull it in and use it. I was just renting the calcium, not owning it.
I’m just going to say it: Without Vitamin D, your calcium supplements are mostly useless for bone health.
The Useless Rock
Let’s be very clear. Swallowing a calcium pill when you have a Vitamin D deficiency is like swallowing a small, useless rock. Your digestive system has no instructions to absorb it, so the vast majority of it will just pass right through your system, unused. It is a profound waste of money and hope. Vitamin D is the catalyst that transforms that useless rock into a bioavailable, bone-building nutrient. Without the catalyst, there is no reaction.
99% of people living in northern latitudes make this one mistake: not supplementing with Vitamin D during the winter.
The Seasonal Mistake
It’s the most common and predictable mistake for anyone living north of Atlanta. They feel great in the summer. Then, as the days get shorter and the sun gets weaker, their mood and energy start to plummet. They get sick more often. They blame it on the “winter blues.” They are making a huge mistake. It’s not just the blues; it’s a predictable, seasonal plunge into Vitamin D deficiency. By not supplementing from October to April, they are choosing to suffer through a completely preventable condition.
This one habit of taking a daily Vitamin D3 supplement will change your body’s ability to build bone forever.
The Daily Dose of Sunshine
I live in a place with long, dark winters. I started a simple, non-negotiable habit. Every single day, I take a dose of Vitamin D3. This one act is my daily dose of sunshine, my guarantee that my body always has the hormonal signal it needs to absorb calcium and build strong bones. It’s an effortless habit that has profoundly changed my energy levels in the winter and has given me the confidence that I am actively supporting my skeletal health, every single day of the year.
If you’re still not taking Vitamin D, you’re losing the key that unlocks calcium absorption.
The Locked Gate
You are eating a healthy, calcium-rich diet. You are providing your body with all the raw materials it needs to build strong bones. But you are losing. You are losing because the gate to the construction site is locked. Vitamin D is the only key that can open that gate. By not ensuring your Vitamin D levels are optimal, you are letting all those precious, bone-building materials sit outside, unused. You have the supplies, but you have lost the key to the entire project.