December 2, 2025 • 26 mins
What if the problem isn’t your willpower, your schedule, or even your thyroid—but a brain running on low vitamin D? We reframe “the sunshine vitamin” as a true brain hormone and unpack why living at a “normal” 32 rarely restores mood, focus, or sleep. Drawing on real stories—hot flashes gone in weeks, anxiety quieted, hair shedding slowed, and even fertility surprises—we connect the dots between vitamin D, neurochemistry, and the kind of steady energy that makes you feel like yourself again.
We also dig into how vitamin D activates the enzymes that produce serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, how it protects brain cells. Then I share my powerful 3 month vitamin D protocol (with a twist on why).
For listeners ready to personalize further, we share how a brain-focused DNA test can map neurotransmitter pathways and guide diet, training, and recovery choices that match your nervous system state. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who needs a lift, and leave a review telling us what changes first for you. Learn all your labs with my book found on Amazon too: Unshakeable Brain. You'll be the best person to read your own labs.
Note: This podcast episode is sponsored by Dr. Rewire's Brain DNA test. Learn more at Unshakeablebrain.ai. If you're a practitioner and you're interested in adding this at-home lab test to your toolkit, go to Unshakeablebrain.ai/expert.
I, Dr. Kylie, no longer work with clients in any endeavor. If you'd like more support for your health, I recommend working with the physicians at the EllieMD telemedicine platform. To get started, go to https://elliemd.com/?bp=drkylie. For health and wellness experts looking to provide this resource to your clients, get started at https://elliemd.com/join-us/?bp=drkylie.
Thank you for joining the Unshakeable Brain community. Dr. Kylie
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:02):
Hey there.
Welcome to Unshakable Brain,your guide to an unshakable
brain.
I'm your host, Dr.
Kylie, and every week we bringyou stories, science, and
strategies to help your braingrow stronger, more resilient,
and ready for anything.
Today's episode is brought toyou by Dr.
Rewire's brain DNA test.
Check it out atunshakablebrain.ai.
(00:25):
All right, let's get started.
Vitamin D.
D as in dog.
It's one of my favorite vitaminsto talk about.
In fact, I have a verycontroversial yet successful
vitamin D protocol.
(00:45):
And it being the beginning ofDecember, we need to know how to
keep our vitamin D status notjust good, but great.
And let me give you a little bitof a heads up before we dive
into vitamin D because it'sdisguised as a vitamin.
It's also disguised as an immunesystem power when it is also a
(01:08):
brain hormone.
The standard recommendation forvitamin D is 2,000 to 5,000 IUs
per day.
Now, that amount is gonna keepyou from not dying.
That's about it.
(01:28):
I know people call it crazy, butthat's the statistics, that's
the facts.
Your vitamin D normal lab rangeis between 32 and 100.
Pretty pathetic lab range, if Ido say so myself.
If your vitamin D status is inthe 30s, you feel like crap.
(01:50):
If it's in the 40s, you stillfeel like crap.
And if it's in the 50s, youmight just be surviving.
But you're still within thenormal range, remember?
So I want to see vitamin D isover 80.
And when it comes to a cap on avitamin D status, I'm not buying
(02:12):
it.
I've talked to hundreds ofpractitioners.
I've shared this protocol withhundreds of practitioners, and
I've seen thousands of peopleimplement it into their lives
from previous podcasts, previousbooks that I've written.
And moving forward with this newpodcast and the new book,
Unshakable Brain, let's changemore lives because the 2,000 to
(02:36):
5,000 I use per day is just notenough for anybody, unless
you're a newborn baby.
So let's get into our vitamin Dthree-month protocol.
So as we enter our wintermonths, I don't care if you are
in Texas or in the Caribbean,I'm seeing labs from everywhere,
(03:00):
all different states, even fromthe ones who say that they're in
Florida and they spend theirmost time outside.
We're just not convertingvitamin D like we used to in our
bodies from the sun.
In my opinion, that is becauseof multiple aspects.
But the first one being thesun's rays has to get through a
(03:21):
bunch of crap now to get to ourskin before it ever gets to our
skin.
And then our body is dealingwith all of that crap plus other
crap, and it's just not doingits job like it used to, say a
hundred years ago.
Okay, so we need more vitamin Dnow than ever before.
And that needs to come from avery reputable source, a
(03:43):
supplement of very high grade.
All right.
So our three-month protocolcoming shortly.
But let me get into chapter fourof the unshakable brain book,
which you can find on Amazon,and it gets into even the
thyroid labs that I've neverdiscussed, maybe publicly.
(04:04):
I know it wasn't in the previousbook.
Maybe I should have a podcastepisode or two in the previous
podcast about the thyroid, butit gets into the thyroid and
then it gets into the missingpiece.
In fact, in all the labs thatI've seen, there is a missing
piece, and it is the brain andthe nervous system.
(04:24):
There is not a direct marker foryour brain or your nervous
system status.
So you need Dr.
Rewire's brain DNA test.
Go check it out atunshakablebrain.ai and add that
to your New Year's bucket list.
Getting healthier in the newyear.
Okay.
Chapter 4 (04:43):
The Brain Hormone Disguised as a Vitamin.
Sandy thought she was losing hermind.
At 52, the hot flashes hadbecome so intense and frequent
that she'd wake up drenched insweat three times a night, then
spend her days carrying a smallfan and changing clothes
multiple times.
Her husband started sleeping inthe guest room because her
(05:05):
constant tossing, turning, andmiddle of the night sheet
changes were keeping him awaketoo.
Okay, let's be real.
If your hot flashes are that badthat you're changing the sheets
in the middle of the night, holymollies.
However, for many people whohave hot flashes and symptoms
(05:30):
that just don't get resolvedfrom other standard practices,
Sandy was one of them.
She started taking her vitaminthe vitamin D protocol that I
recommend.
And two weeks into the highdose, her hot flashes have
disappeared.
It's been a month, and she saysthey have yet to return.
Courtney's message came throughtears.
(05:50):
Dr.
Kylie, I am writing this emailto you crying.
My friend told me about yourpodcast, and since I then I
started listening.
I've been paying attention to mylab numbers.
My vitamin D was 34.
So I started your protocol on myown.
I had my husband start at two.
I took a test yesterday, said Iwas pregnant.
(06:11):
I didn't believe it.
I took two more tests thismorning.
Three for three.
I just want to thank you forwhat you're doing.
Keep doing it.
You're changing lives.
Thank you for changing mine.
Christina had been watching heralready thin hair continue to
disappear for months, blamingher thyroid.
The last few weeks, I don't havepiles of hair in the shower
(06:33):
anymore.
It's not falling out like itused to, and the only thing I
changed is how much vitamin DI'm taking, just like you
recommend.
Notice something important aboutthese stories: hot flashes,
fertility, hair loss.
These aren't just hormoneproblems, they're brain
(06:53):
problems.
Everyone talks about vitamin Dfor immune support, and that's
certainly important andcertainly vital.
But what they don't tell you isthat vitamin D is actually a
brain hormone disguised as avitamin.
It controls how your brain makesthe chemicals that determine
your mood, energy, focus, andoverall mental state.
(07:15):
So, what is this vitamin Ddeception?
What most people don'tunderstand about vitamin D,
technically, it shouldn't evenbe called a vitamin.
Your body produces it naturallywith help from sunlight, just
like it produces other hormones.
A true vitamin is something yourbody can't make and must get
(07:36):
from food.
Vitamin D is actually a steroidhormone that acts more like
testosterone or estrogen thanlike vitamin C or any B
vitamins.
And like other hormones, it hasa profound effect on brain
function that goes far beyondimmune support.
This helps explain why Loriexperienced such dramatic mental
(08:00):
health improvements.
She says, I've been plagued withreally high anxiety for years
that has affected my ability tobe the mom I want to be.
Depression is a struggle too.
But I started following Dr.
Kylie's vitamin D protocol.
I was already taking vitamin Dbefore, but definitely not
enough.
I jacked it up like she advised,and what a change.
(08:21):
My depression is nearly gone.
I'm off the antidepressant, andmy anxiety is next to none.
Her brain finally had adequateamounts of this crucial hormone
to produce the chemicals neededfor stable mood and calm mental
states.
Vitamin D, what does it reallydo in your brain?
(08:44):
Your vitamin, sorry, your braincontains vitamin D receptors in
virtually every region, whichtells us how important this
hormone is for optimal brainfunction.
Here's what vitamin D actuallyaccomplishes in your brain.
First, brain chemical productioncontrol.
Your brain requires vitamin D toactivate enzymes that make
(09:07):
serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
Serotonin and dopamine,remember, are feel-good
neurotransmitters.
GABA is your calmingneurotransmitter.
Vitamin D is required to makethese.
Think of vitamin D as the keythat starts the factory machines
(09:28):
that produces these essentialbrain chemicals.
Without adequate vitamin D, thefactories shut down, leading to
depression, anxiety, andpossible sleep problems.
Brain cell growth and protectionis number two.
Vitamin D helps your brain grownew cells and protects existing
(09:51):
ones from damage.
This is why people with lowvitamin D often struggle with
memory problems and brain fog.
Their brains literally can'tmaintain and repair themselves
properly.
Number three, your braininflammation control.
Remember those hidden infectionswe discussed on a previous
(10:12):
episode in a previous chapter?
Vitamin D serves as your brain'sprimary defense against
neuroinflammation.
It literally tells inflammatoryprocesses to calm down,
protecting your brain tissuefrom damage.
And last but not least, numberfour, the brain-body
communication enhancement.
(10:33):
Vitamin D helps your brain sendclear, strong signals to every
system in your body.
When vitamin D is adequate,brain hormone communication
works smoothly.
When it's deficient, thesecommunication pathways become
unreliable.
This explains why people likeSean have reported, I'm feeling
(10:56):
like myself again.
For years I feel like I've gonethrough the motions.
Call it depression if you wantto, but now that's starting to
change.
I feel like I have something tolive for again, like I'm
starting to get back in controlof my mind.
Your vitamin D protocol has beenthe key to this change.
Her his brain is finally gettingthe hormone it needs to function
(11:18):
properly.
So just when you thought thatvitamin D served an immune
response component or has a verypowerful immune response
component, don't forget it has avery powerful brain health
component as well.
(11:39):
There is a shocking reality anda crisis at our hands.
And I hope in the last few yearsI've been able to change this by
sharing this vitamin D protocolas much as possible.
So if you're listening to thispodcast episode, and maybe
you're new to me, maybe you'veheard me for a long time now,
(12:03):
please share this with a friend.
Maybe even just post it on yoursocial media so that way anybody
who needs it and doesn't want toverbally say it out loud can
still have it.
All right.
Most people, as I've previouslydiscussed or mentioned here, are
deficient, severely deficient invitamin D.
(12:25):
Yes, even those people who livein sunny places like Florida,
Arizona, and Texas.
I have a theory.
Genetic damage, modernenvironmental toxins have
damaged many people's ability toconvert sunlight into vitamin D.
Of course, we have theenvironmental barriers where the
sun's rays actually have to getthrough these environmental
(12:46):
barriers.
And last but not least,geographic reality.
Most people don't know that ifyou live above the 35th
parallel, which includes 80% ofthe nine of the United States,
me included, I'm in Utah.
Your brain cannot make anyvitamin D from sunlight during
the winter months.
These include most ofWashington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah,
(13:09):
Colorado, and all other northernstates.
If you were to basically draw aline down horizontally across
the center of the United States,anybody above that line is
geographically not going toproduce vitamin D from the
sunshine in those months, inthese winter months.
(13:31):
Is it really flu season or is itjust vitamin D deficiency season
where people's brains can'tfunction properly and their
immune systems crash?
Okay.
Now, when it comes to a limit ofpeople saying that, oh, vitamin
D at 100 is too high, I want youto pay attention to this story.
(13:52):
This is, of course, a true storywith a patient that I worked
with.
Sue's story illustrates why somepeople need much higher doses of
vitamin D than standardrecommendations suggest.
In her mid-50s, Sue had spentover$100,000 on treatments from
for chronic fatigue over theyears.
(14:13):
She missed a lot of familyactivities, vacations, and had
essentially given up on havingany quality of life.
She was ready to leave thisworld.
When I met her, she had beentaking 30,000 IUs of vitamin D
daily, a dose that would shockmost doctors.
At this high dose, she feltbetter than she had in years.
(14:36):
She had energy, mental clarity,and hope for the first time in
decades.
But then her primary care doctorsaw her vitamin D level at 184
and panicked.
This is dangerous, he told her.
Sue trusted this doctor andstopped taking the vitamin D.
(14:58):
Within a month, her symptomsstarted to return.
The brain fog, fatigue, anddepression crept back.
Here's what her doctor didn'tunderstand.
And what many people in theworld don't understand because
we are misunderstanding vitaminD and what appropriate levels of
vitamin D are.
(15:18):
Sue's brain needs abnormallyhigh amounts of vitamin D
because it was fighting chronicinfections and inflammation.
Her brain was consuming massivequantities of this hormone to
combat neuroinflammation andproduce healthy brain chemicals,
which, as the master controlcenter, it affects everything
downstream.
(15:41):
When she stopped taking thevitamin D, her brain went back
into survival mode.
All the systems that had beenfunctioning well began to fail
once again.
So we put Sue back on the highdose vitamin D while
simultaneously addressing theunderlying infections that were
creating such high demand forthis brain hormone.
In addition, we ordered herbrain DNA test, so we knew
(16:04):
exactly how her geneticsimpacted all of these pathways.
With regular blood work in herhand, her vitamin D levels
backed, were back up.
And the personalized plan fromher brain DNA test also provided
Sue a plan for years to come.
Not just a plan for herserotonin, her dopamine, her
(16:25):
noroarbinephrine, her oxytocin,those very vital
neurotransmitters, but she got apersonalized diet and exercise
regimen based upon what stateher nervous system is in.
Are you dominantly sympathetic?
Fight or flight?
Are you dominantlyparasympathetic?
(16:45):
Rest and digest?
And if you fall into either oneof the categories, what exercise
regimen is best for you?
Maybe you're doing ice baths,you shouldn't be, because you're
sitting in a sympathetic state.
And every time you get an icebath, that's more shock to the
system.
(17:06):
Maybe you're doing marathonrunning or you're training for
your next 10K.
And those long two-hour cardioexercises aren't good for your
system.
As we head forward into the newyear and you start to think
about these things in January, Ihighly recommend you grab your
(17:26):
brain DNA test and get thatpersonalized dietary and rare
and exercise recommendationsbased upon your brain and what
its ability to produceneurotransmitters.
After all, it is the mastercontrol center and affects
everything downstream.
You can order your brain DNAtest at unshakablebrain.ai and
(17:52):
drkylyburton.com slash order.
If you go to drkylieburton.comslash home, you'll see a button
at the top that says order, andthat is where you can order
peptides, order your brain DNAtest, and join us on a brand new
platform with more to come.
(18:13):
Okay.
The brain superfood is vitaminD.
Most labs consider brain sorry,vitamin D levels between 32 and
100 to be normal.
We've kind of discussed this.
I prefer vitamin D over levelsof 80.
Now I have to kind of alter thatin the book because it is in the
(18:33):
book.
And I don't really care ifthey're over 100.
I want you to feel good.
And chances are, in the worldthat we live in, you need more
than what the stupid labs say,anyways.
So as we wrap up here, the brainsymptoms of vitamin D
deficiency.
One, mental and emotionalsymptoms can look like
(18:57):
depression and anxiety, moodswings, motivation can even
disappear, and activities thatonce brought you joy lose their
appeal.
Two, vitamin D deficiency canlead to cognitive problems like
brain fog.
Now, let me be very clear.
I'm not saying vitamin Ddeficiency under the level of
32.
I'm saying vitamin D deficiencyunder your level.
(19:21):
And you only know that levelwhen you've hit it and you feel
good.
Maybe your level is 116.
Maybe your level is 154.
Maybe it's 79.
But find your level using theprotocol I'm about to share.
(19:41):
Cognitive problems like brainfog, memory problems, decision
making becomes difficult, andmaybe even loot learning new
skills because of overwhelmingfeelings.
Vitamin D also impacts yourchronic fatigue, sleep,
insomnia, afternoon energycrashes, and it can even impact
(20:02):
people who feel wired but tired.
Physical symptoms controlled bythe brain and assisted with
vitamin D are hair loss,temperature regulation, hormone
imbalances, digestive issues,chronic pain and fibromyalgia,
frequent infections.
(20:23):
Notice that these are allsymptoms that can be correlated
to something else too.
But your brain is a mastercontrol center.
And when it is rolling well, uheverything else downstream can
run well too.
Check out this story.
Now I loved working with thiscouple, and they're really
young, and we're gonna name themJack and Michelle.
(20:47):
Not their real names, of course,but in this case, they are in
their 20s, newlyweds, and here'stheir story.
Michelle had gained 30 pounds ina year and was taking multiple
medications for varioussymptoms.
The real crisis was in hermarriage.
Her mood swings and anxiety hadbecome so severe that her
(21:08):
husband Jack was consideringwhether their relationship could
even survive past a year.
The constant emotionalvolatility was exhausting for
both of them.
Michelle would explode overminor issues, then sink into
depressive episodes that couldlast for days.
Jack felt like he was walking oneggshells, never knowing which
version of his wife he'dencounter.
(21:29):
Maybe this is what you kind offeel like and what you've been
trying to get out of this cyclefor months, maybe years.
And it could just be as simpleas this vitamin D protocol.
When we received Michelle'slatest labs, her vitamin D was
an alarming number (21:46):
18.
Nobody had said anything aboutit, but it was 18.
Jack's level was at 37, whichstill falls in the normal range,
but you all know how I feelabout that.
You're still gonna feel likecrap.
And he did.
I set them both on mythree-month vitamin D protocol.
And within three months ofproper vitamin D dosing with a
(22:08):
great source, Michelle'semotional volatility completely
resolved.
Her mood swings disappeared, heranxiety became manageable, and
she returned to teaching highschool students with enthusiasm
with enthusiasm instead ofdread.
She was a high school mathteacher, if I remember
correctly.
But the most important factor,their marriage continues today,
(22:32):
and both husband and wifeproudly take their high-quality,
high dose vitamin D year-round.
So, what is this three-monthbrain restoration protocol?
Well, if it's below 50, Irecommend this.
Month one, a very good source ofvitamin D at the level of 25,000
(22:56):
IUs daily.
I mean, give you a little bit ofperspective on this.
When if you were to ever receivea vitamin D prescription, you
have to be like in the teens orsomething, because it's not on
doctor's radars.
Unless they're around me.
(23:18):
The vitamin D prescription doseis going to be 50,000 IUs per
week.
This dose that I'm recommendingis 25,000 IUs per day.
Big difference.
Results explain for themselves.
(23:38):
That's in month one, and thenmonth two, you're gonna drop
that down by 5,000.
So it's gonna be 20,000 IUdaily.
Month three, 15,000 IUs dailyand then maintain at 10,000.
Because like I said, 2,000 to5,000 IUs per day is not enough.
(24:01):
It's just gonna keep you fromnot dying.
If you want to actually feelgood and thrive, you need higher
doses.
For children, I adjust dosesbased upon their body weight.
My four-year-old receives 5,000IUs.
Not daily, because I'm not, Idon't remember it, but if I were
(24:22):
to remember it, it would beokay.
While my 18-month-old gets 3,000IUs.
Now they are five and two.
Still same doses.
So just slower it a little bit.
You can't talk, you can't puttoxic doses in your kids.
I just don't, I've never seenanybody who has a toxicity from
(24:43):
vitamin D ever.
I've never heard of anybodyeither, with all the
practitioners that I've talkedto.
Okay, so there's your vitamin Dprotocol.
Now, the vitamin D brainchemical connection.
You need to be able to produceserotonin, dopamine, GABA.
Well, vitamin D impacts all ofthese.
(25:04):
If you would like to learn themechanism behind it, grab the
book, Unshakable Brain, onAmazon.
Okay.
So I have a too long didn't readat the end of each chapter
inside my new book.
And so chapter four's TLDR isthis.
(25:26):
Vitamin D is actually a hormonethat, amongst other rules,
controls brain chemicalproduction.
Most people are severelydeficient, even in sunny
clients.
What you learned is that vitaminD controls serotonin, dopamine,
and GABA production in yourbrain, as well as your genetic
factors, which you can get fromyour brain DNA test.
(25:48):
Your optimal range for brainhealth, I'm gonna say verbally,
is over 80.
In the book, it says 70 to 100.
My recommended high-doseprotocol can restore brain
function in months and relieve avariety of other symptoms.
So if you don't know where tobegin on your healing journey,
(26:08):
begin with a very high qualityvitamin D and the three-month
protocol.
What is it again?
Month one, 25,000 IUs daily.
Month two, 20,000 IUs daily, andmonth three, 15,000 IUs daily
with a maintenance level at10,000.
If you have any type ofautoimmune symptoms, this will
(26:29):
be golden for you.
Test your vitamin D level, startthe three-month protocol, and
then retest.
See what happens.
Let us know inside a review onthis podcast or even a review of
the book on Amazon.
I'm Dr.
Kylie.
Take your vitamin D this winterand see how drastic it makes.
(26:54):
The difference it makes.
There we go.
See you next time.
Hey there.
Welcome to Unshakable Brain,your guide to an unshakable
brain.
I'm your host, Dr.
Kylie, and every week we bringyou stories, science, and
strategies to help your braingrow stronger, more resilient,
and ready for anything.
Today's episode is brought toyou by Dr.
Rewire's brain DNA test.
Check it out atunshakablebrain.ai.
(00:25):
All right, let's get started.
Vitamin D.
D as in dog.
It's one of my favorite vitaminsto talk about.
In fact, I have a verycontroversial yet successful
vitamin D protocol.
(00:45):
And it being the beginning ofDecember, we need to know how to
keep our vitamin D status notjust good, but great.
And let me give you a little bitof a heads up before we dive
into vitamin D because it'sdisguised as a vitamin.
It's also disguised as an immunesystem power when it is also a
(01:08):
brain hormone.
The standard recommendation forvitamin D is 2,000 to 5,000 IUs
per day.
Now, that amount is gonna keepyou from not dying.
That's about it.
(01:28):
I know people call it crazy, butthat's the statistics, that's
the facts.
Your vitamin D normal lab rangeis between 32 and 100.
Pretty pathetic lab range, if Ido say so myself.
If your vitamin D status is inthe 30s, you feel like crap.
(01:50):
If it's in the 40s, you stillfeel like crap.
And if it's in the 50s, youmight just be surviving.
But you're still within thenormal range, remember?
So I want to see vitamin D isover 80.
And when it comes to a cap on avitamin D status, I'm not buying
(02:12):
it.
I've talked to hundreds ofpractitioners.
I've shared this protocol withhundreds of practitioners, and
I've seen thousands of peopleimplement it into their lives
from previous podcasts, previousbooks that I've written.
And moving forward with this newpodcast and the new book,
Unshakable Brain, let's changemore lives because the 2,000 to
(02:36):
5,000 I use per day is just notenough for anybody, unless
you're a newborn baby.
So let's get into our vitamin Dthree-month protocol.
So as we enter our wintermonths, I don't care if you are
in Texas or in the Caribbean,I'm seeing labs from everywhere,
(03:00):
all different states, even fromthe ones who say that they're in
Florida and they spend theirmost time outside.
We're just not convertingvitamin D like we used to in our
bodies from the sun.
In my opinion, that is becauseof multiple aspects.
But the first one being thesun's rays has to get through a
(03:21):
bunch of crap now to get to ourskin before it ever gets to our
skin.
And then our body is dealingwith all of that crap plus other
crap, and it's just not doingits job like it used to, say a
hundred years ago.
Okay, so we need more vitamin Dnow than ever before.
And that needs to come from avery reputable source, a
(03:43):
supplement of very high grade.
All right.
So our three-month protocolcoming shortly.
But let me get into chapter fourof the unshakable brain book,
which you can find on Amazon,and it gets into even the
thyroid labs that I've neverdiscussed, maybe publicly.
(04:04):
I know it wasn't in the previousbook.
Maybe I should have a podcastepisode or two in the previous
podcast about the thyroid, butit gets into the thyroid and
then it gets into the missingpiece.
In fact, in all the labs thatI've seen, there is a missing
piece, and it is the brain andthe nervous system.
(04:24):
There is not a direct marker foryour brain or your nervous
system status.
So you need Dr.
Rewire's brain DNA test.
Go check it out atunshakablebrain.ai and add that
to your New Year's bucket list.
Getting healthier in the newyear.
Okay.
Chapter 4 (04:43):
The Brain Hormone Disguised as a Vitamin.
Sandy thought she was losing hermind.
At 52, the hot flashes hadbecome so intense and frequent
that she'd wake up drenched insweat three times a night, then
spend her days carrying a smallfan and changing clothes
multiple times.
Her husband started sleeping inthe guest room because her
(05:05):
constant tossing, turning, andmiddle of the night sheet
changes were keeping him awaketoo.
Okay, let's be real.
If your hot flashes are that badthat you're changing the sheets
in the middle of the night, holymollies.
However, for many people whohave hot flashes and symptoms
(05:30):
that just don't get resolvedfrom other standard practices,
Sandy was one of them.
She started taking her vitaminthe vitamin D protocol that I
recommend.
And two weeks into the highdose, her hot flashes have
disappeared.
It's been a month, and she saysthey have yet to return.
Courtney's message came throughtears.
(05:50):
Dr.
Kylie, I am writing this emailto you crying.
My friend told me about yourpodcast, and since I then I
started listening.
I've been paying attention to mylab numbers.
My vitamin D was 34.
So I started your protocol on myown.
I had my husband start at two.
I took a test yesterday, said Iwas pregnant.
(06:11):
I didn't believe it.
I took two more tests thismorning.
Three for three.
I just want to thank you forwhat you're doing.
Keep doing it.
You're changing lives.
Thank you for changing mine.
Christina had been watching heralready thin hair continue to
disappear for months, blamingher thyroid.
The last few weeks, I don't havepiles of hair in the shower
(06:33):
anymore.
It's not falling out like itused to, and the only thing I
changed is how much vitamin DI'm taking, just like you
recommend.
Notice something important aboutthese stories: hot flashes,
fertility, hair loss.
These aren't just hormoneproblems, they're brain
(06:53):
problems.
Everyone talks about vitamin Dfor immune support, and that's
certainly important andcertainly vital.
But what they don't tell you isthat vitamin D is actually a
brain hormone disguised as avitamin.
It controls how your brain makesthe chemicals that determine
your mood, energy, focus, andoverall mental state.
(07:15):
So, what is this vitamin Ddeception?
What most people don'tunderstand about vitamin D,
technically, it shouldn't evenbe called a vitamin.
Your body produces it naturallywith help from sunlight, just
like it produces other hormones.
A true vitamin is something yourbody can't make and must get
(07:36):
from food.
Vitamin D is actually a steroidhormone that acts more like
testosterone or estrogen thanlike vitamin C or any B
vitamins.
And like other hormones, it hasa profound effect on brain
function that goes far beyondimmune support.
This helps explain why Loriexperienced such dramatic mental
(08:00):
health improvements.
She says, I've been plagued withreally high anxiety for years
that has affected my ability tobe the mom I want to be.
Depression is a struggle too.
But I started following Dr.
Kylie's vitamin D protocol.
I was already taking vitamin Dbefore, but definitely not
enough.
I jacked it up like she advised,and what a change.
(08:21):
My depression is nearly gone.
I'm off the antidepressant, andmy anxiety is next to none.
Her brain finally had adequateamounts of this crucial hormone
to produce the chemicals neededfor stable mood and calm mental
states.
Vitamin D, what does it reallydo in your brain?
(08:44):
Your vitamin, sorry, your braincontains vitamin D receptors in
virtually every region, whichtells us how important this
hormone is for optimal brainfunction.
Here's what vitamin D actuallyaccomplishes in your brain.
First, brain chemical productioncontrol.
Your brain requires vitamin D toactivate enzymes that make
(09:07):
serotonin, dopamine, and GABA.
Serotonin and dopamine,remember, are feel-good
neurotransmitters.
GABA is your calmingneurotransmitter.
Vitamin D is required to makethese.
Think of vitamin D as the keythat starts the factory machines
(09:28):
that produces these essentialbrain chemicals.
Without adequate vitamin D, thefactories shut down, leading to
depression, anxiety, andpossible sleep problems.
Brain cell growth and protectionis number two.
Vitamin D helps your brain grownew cells and protects existing
(09:51):
ones from damage.
This is why people with lowvitamin D often struggle with
memory problems and brain fog.
Their brains literally can'tmaintain and repair themselves
properly.
Number three, your braininflammation control.
Remember those hidden infectionswe discussed on a previous
(10:12):
episode in a previous chapter?
Vitamin D serves as your brain'sprimary defense against
neuroinflammation.
It literally tells inflammatoryprocesses to calm down,
protecting your brain tissuefrom damage.
And last but not least, numberfour, the brain-body
communication enhancement.
(10:33):
Vitamin D helps your brain sendclear, strong signals to every
system in your body.
When vitamin D is adequate,brain hormone communication
works smoothly.
When it's deficient, thesecommunication pathways become
unreliable.
This explains why people likeSean have reported, I'm feeling
(10:56):
like myself again.
For years I feel like I've gonethrough the motions.
Call it depression if you wantto, but now that's starting to
change.
I feel like I have something tolive for again, like I'm
starting to get back in controlof my mind.
Your vitamin D protocol has beenthe key to this change.
Her his brain is finally gettingthe hormone it needs to function
(11:18):
properly.
So just when you thought thatvitamin D served an immune
response component or has a verypowerful immune response
component, don't forget it has avery powerful brain health
component as well.
(11:39):
There is a shocking reality anda crisis at our hands.
And I hope in the last few yearsI've been able to change this by
sharing this vitamin D protocolas much as possible.
So if you're listening to thispodcast episode, and maybe
you're new to me, maybe you'veheard me for a long time now,
(12:03):
please share this with a friend.
Maybe even just post it on yoursocial media so that way anybody
who needs it and doesn't want toverbally say it out loud can
still have it.
All right.
Most people, as I've previouslydiscussed or mentioned here, are
deficient, severely deficient invitamin D.
(12:25):
Yes, even those people who livein sunny places like Florida,
Arizona, and Texas.
I have a theory.
Genetic damage, modernenvironmental toxins have
damaged many people's ability toconvert sunlight into vitamin D.
Of course, we have theenvironmental barriers where the
sun's rays actually have to getthrough these environmental
(12:46):
barriers.
And last but not least,geographic reality.
Most people don't know that ifyou live above the 35th
parallel, which includes 80% ofthe nine of the United States,
me included, I'm in Utah.
Your brain cannot make anyvitamin D from sunlight during
the winter months.
These include most ofWashington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah,
(13:09):
Colorado, and all other northernstates.
If you were to basically draw aline down horizontally across
the center of the United States,anybody above that line is
geographically not going toproduce vitamin D from the
sunshine in those months, inthese winter months.
(13:31):
Is it really flu season or is itjust vitamin D deficiency season
where people's brains can'tfunction properly and their
immune systems crash?
Okay.
Now, when it comes to a limit ofpeople saying that, oh, vitamin
D at 100 is too high, I want youto pay attention to this story.
(13:52):
This is, of course, a true storywith a patient that I worked
with.
Sue's story illustrates why somepeople need much higher doses of
vitamin D than standardrecommendations suggest.
In her mid-50s, Sue had spentover$100,000 on treatments from
for chronic fatigue over theyears.
(14:13):
She missed a lot of familyactivities, vacations, and had
essentially given up on havingany quality of life.
She was ready to leave thisworld.
When I met her, she had beentaking 30,000 IUs of vitamin D
daily, a dose that would shockmost doctors.
At this high dose, she feltbetter than she had in years.
(14:36):
She had energy, mental clarity,and hope for the first time in
decades.
But then her primary care doctorsaw her vitamin D level at 184
and panicked.
This is dangerous, he told her.
Sue trusted this doctor andstopped taking the vitamin D.
(14:58):
Within a month, her symptomsstarted to return.
The brain fog, fatigue, anddepression crept back.
Here's what her doctor didn'tunderstand.
And what many people in theworld don't understand because
we are misunderstanding vitaminD and what appropriate levels of
vitamin D are.
(15:18):
Sue's brain needs abnormallyhigh amounts of vitamin D
because it was fighting chronicinfections and inflammation.
Her brain was consuming massivequantities of this hormone to
combat neuroinflammation andproduce healthy brain chemicals,
which, as the master controlcenter, it affects everything
downstream.
(15:41):
When she stopped taking thevitamin D, her brain went back
into survival mode.
All the systems that had beenfunctioning well began to fail
once again.
So we put Sue back on the highdose vitamin D while
simultaneously addressing theunderlying infections that were
creating such high demand forthis brain hormone.
In addition, we ordered herbrain DNA test, so we knew
(16:04):
exactly how her geneticsimpacted all of these pathways.
With regular blood work in herhand, her vitamin D levels
backed, were back up.
And the personalized plan fromher brain DNA test also provided
Sue a plan for years to come.
Not just a plan for herserotonin, her dopamine, her
(16:25):
noroarbinephrine, her oxytocin,those very vital
neurotransmitters, but she got apersonalized diet and exercise
regimen based upon what stateher nervous system is in.
Are you dominantly sympathetic?
Fight or flight?
Are you dominantlyparasympathetic?
(16:45):
Rest and digest?
And if you fall into either oneof the categories, what exercise
regimen is best for you?
Maybe you're doing ice baths,you shouldn't be, because you're
sitting in a sympathetic state.
And every time you get an icebath, that's more shock to the
system.
(17:06):
Maybe you're doing marathonrunning or you're training for
your next 10K.
And those long two-hour cardioexercises aren't good for your
system.
As we head forward into the newyear and you start to think
about these things in January, Ihighly recommend you grab your
(17:26):
brain DNA test and get thatpersonalized dietary and rare
and exercise recommendationsbased upon your brain and what
its ability to produceneurotransmitters.
After all, it is the mastercontrol center and affects
everything downstream.
You can order your brain DNAtest at unshakablebrain.ai and
(17:52):
drkylyburton.com slash order.
If you go to drkylieburton.comslash home, you'll see a button
at the top that says order, andthat is where you can order
peptides, order your brain DNAtest, and join us on a brand new
platform with more to come.
(18:13):
Okay.
The brain superfood is vitaminD.
Most labs consider brain sorry,vitamin D levels between 32 and
100 to be normal.
We've kind of discussed this.
I prefer vitamin D over levelsof 80.
Now I have to kind of alter thatin the book because it is in the
(18:33):
book.
And I don't really care ifthey're over 100.
I want you to feel good.
And chances are, in the worldthat we live in, you need more
than what the stupid labs say,anyways.
So as we wrap up here, the brainsymptoms of vitamin D
deficiency.
One, mental and emotionalsymptoms can look like
(18:57):
depression and anxiety, moodswings, motivation can even
disappear, and activities thatonce brought you joy lose their
appeal.
Two, vitamin D deficiency canlead to cognitive problems like
brain fog.
Now, let me be very clear.
I'm not saying vitamin Ddeficiency under the level of
32.
I'm saying vitamin D deficiencyunder your level.
(19:21):
And you only know that levelwhen you've hit it and you feel
good.
Maybe your level is 116.
Maybe your level is 154.
Maybe it's 79.
But find your level using theprotocol I'm about to share.
(19:41):
Cognitive problems like brainfog, memory problems, decision
making becomes difficult, andmaybe even loot learning new
skills because of overwhelmingfeelings.
Vitamin D also impacts yourchronic fatigue, sleep,
insomnia, afternoon energycrashes, and it can even impact
(20:02):
people who feel wired but tired.
Physical symptoms controlled bythe brain and assisted with
vitamin D are hair loss,temperature regulation, hormone
imbalances, digestive issues,chronic pain and fibromyalgia,
frequent infections.
(20:23):
Notice that these are allsymptoms that can be correlated
to something else too.
But your brain is a mastercontrol center.
And when it is rolling well, uheverything else downstream can
run well too.
Check out this story.
Now I loved working with thiscouple, and they're really
young, and we're gonna name themJack and Michelle.
(20:47):
Not their real names, of course,but in this case, they are in
their 20s, newlyweds, and here'stheir story.
Michelle had gained 30 pounds ina year and was taking multiple
medications for varioussymptoms.
The real crisis was in hermarriage.
Her mood swings and anxiety hadbecome so severe that her
(21:08):
husband Jack was consideringwhether their relationship could
even survive past a year.
The constant emotionalvolatility was exhausting for
both of them.
Michelle would explode overminor issues, then sink into
depressive episodes that couldlast for days.
Jack felt like he was walking oneggshells, never knowing which
version of his wife he'dencounter.
(21:29):
Maybe this is what you kind offeel like and what you've been
trying to get out of this cyclefor months, maybe years.
And it could just be as simpleas this vitamin D protocol.
When we received Michelle'slatest labs, her vitamin D was
an alarming number (21:46):
18.
Nobody had said anything aboutit, but it was 18.
Jack's level was at 37, whichstill falls in the normal range,
but you all know how I feelabout that.
You're still gonna feel likecrap.
And he did.
I set them both on mythree-month vitamin D protocol.
And within three months ofproper vitamin D dosing with a
(22:08):
great source, Michelle'semotional volatility completely
resolved.
Her mood swings disappeared, heranxiety became manageable, and
she returned to teaching highschool students with enthusiasm
with enthusiasm instead ofdread.
She was a high school mathteacher, if I remember
correctly.
But the most important factor,their marriage continues today,
(22:32):
and both husband and wifeproudly take their high-quality,
high dose vitamin D year-round.
So, what is this three-monthbrain restoration protocol?
Well, if it's below 50, Irecommend this.
Month one, a very good source ofvitamin D at the level of 25,000
(22:56):
IUs daily.
I mean, give you a little bit ofperspective on this.
When if you were to ever receivea vitamin D prescription, you
have to be like in the teens orsomething, because it's not on
doctor's radars.
Unless they're around me.
(23:18):
The vitamin D prescription doseis going to be 50,000 IUs per
week.
This dose that I'm recommendingis 25,000 IUs per day.
Big difference.
Results explain for themselves.
(23:38):
That's in month one, and thenmonth two, you're gonna drop
that down by 5,000.
So it's gonna be 20,000 IUdaily.
Month three, 15,000 IUs dailyand then maintain at 10,000.
Because like I said, 2,000 to5,000 IUs per day is not enough.
(24:01):
It's just gonna keep you fromnot dying.
If you want to actually feelgood and thrive, you need higher
doses.
For children, I adjust dosesbased upon their body weight.
My four-year-old receives 5,000IUs.
Not daily, because I'm not, Idon't remember it, but if I were
(24:22):
to remember it, it would beokay.
While my 18-month-old gets 3,000IUs.
Now they are five and two.
Still same doses.
So just slower it a little bit.
You can't talk, you can't puttoxic doses in your kids.
I just don't, I've never seenanybody who has a toxicity from
(24:43):
vitamin D ever.
I've never heard of anybodyeither, with all the
practitioners that I've talkedto.
Okay, so there's your vitamin Dprotocol.
Now, the vitamin D brainchemical connection.
You need to be able to produceserotonin, dopamine, GABA.
Well, vitamin D impacts all ofthese.
(25:04):
If you would like to learn themechanism behind it, grab the
book, Unshakable Brain, onAmazon.
Okay.
So I have a too long didn't readat the end of each chapter
inside my new book.
And so chapter four's TLDR isthis.
(25:26):
Vitamin D is actually a hormonethat, amongst other rules,
controls brain chemicalproduction.
Most people are severelydeficient, even in sunny
clients.
What you learned is that vitaminD controls serotonin, dopamine,
and GABA production in yourbrain, as well as your genetic
factors, which you can get fromyour brain DNA test.
(25:48):
Your optimal range for brainhealth, I'm gonna say verbally,
is over 80.
In the book, it says 70 to 100.
My recommended high-doseprotocol can restore brain
function in months and relieve avariety of other symptoms.
So if you don't know where tobegin on your healing journey,
(26:08):
begin with a very high qualityvitamin D and the three-month
protocol.
What is it again?
Month one, 25,000 IUs daily.
Month two, 20,000 IUs daily, andmonth three, 15,000 IUs daily
with a maintenance level at10,000.
If you have any type ofautoimmune symptoms, this will
(26:29):
be golden for you.
Test your vitamin D level, startthe three-month protocol, and
then retest.
See what happens.
Let us know inside a review onthis podcast or even a review of
the book on Amazon.
I'm Dr.
Kylie.
Take your vitamin D this winterand see how drastic it makes.
(26:54):
The difference it makes.
There we go.
See you next time.
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