Does Vitamin D Make You Constipated?

If you’ve recently added vitamin D to your daily routine, you may be wondering if it can cause any side effects. Like many supplements and medications, vitamin D can affect your gut. 

Let’s look at how vitamin D affects your gut and whether it can cause constipation. 

Can too much vitamin D make you constipated?

Vitamin D doesn’t directly cause constipation. But taking too much vitamin D can lead to constipation. This happens because vitamin D increases calcium levels in the body. 

When you take a vitamin D supplement, your body absorbs more calcium. This is normally a major benefit of taking vitamin D.  

But if calcium levels get too high, people can develop a condition called hypercalcemia. Hypercalcemia can interfere with gut movement. This can cause constipation. 

Fortunately, it’s not common to develop high vitamin D levels or high calcium levels when taking vitamin D supplements. An adult taking less than 10,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily is unlikely to experience symptoms of vitamin D toxicity. And most people only need to take 600 IU to 800 IU of vitamin D supplements each day. 

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

• How much vitamin D should you take each day? Here’s our guide to vitamin D supplements.

• Your diet can help boost your vitamin D levels. Here are 10 vitamin D-rich foods to add to your diet.

• Some drinks can help relieve constipation. Here are the five best drinks for when you’re constipated (and a few to avoid).

What are the other side effects of calcium and vitamin D supplements?

Most people who take calcium and vitamin D supplements don’t experience any side effects. But if your calcium levels get too high, you may experience mild side effects like nausea and stomach discomfort. 

People with very high calcium levels may experience more severe symptoms like:

• Nausea and vomiting

• Kidney stones

• Bone pain

• Heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)

• Muscle weakness

• Confusion

• Coma

Talk with your healthcare team if you develop any side effects while taking vitamin D or calcium supplements. You may need your blood calcium levels checked to make sure they aren’t too high. Don’t stop taking your supplements without talking with your healthcare team first. 

Call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 if you accidentally take too much calcium or vitamin D. The toxicology experts can help you determine your next best steps if you’ve taken too much of your supplements. 

What can you do if you have constipation from your vitamin D supplements?

You can help relieve constipation with home remedies such as: 

• Drinking more water

• Including more fiber in your diet  

• Getting more exercise

• Taking magnesium supplements or over-the-counter (OTC) laxatives

It’s also a good idea to reach out to your healthcare team if you experience constipation after starting vitamin D or calcium supplements. While vitamin D itself doesn’t cause constipation, certain types of calcium supplements are more likely to cause constipation.

Calcium carbonate supplements are more likely to trigger constipation than other forms of calcium supplements, though it’s not clear why. You can check if your calcium supplement is made from calcium carbonate by looking at the active ingredients on the side of the bottle. If you are taking calcium carbonate supplements, talk with your healthcare team. They can help you safely switch supplements if you’re experiencing constipation. 

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Brian Clista, MD

Dr. Clista is a board-certified pediatrician who works in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He previously served as a National Health Service Corporation Scholar in the inner city of Pittsburgh for 11 years.

Edited by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

Reviewed by:

Christine Giordano, MD

Christine Giordano, MD, is board-certified in general internal medicine. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts