Can Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Chills? An In-Depth Look

October 8, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a significant portion of the global population is deficient in vitamin D. While often associated with bone health, a deficiency can indirectly impact your body's ability to regulate temperature, leading to a feeling of coldness and raising the question: Can vitamin D deficiency cause chills?

Quick Summary

Vitamin D deficiency can indirectly contribute to chills by impairing thermoregulation through reduced metabolic rate and muscle function. It is not a direct cause but is part of a cluster of symptoms, including fatigue and muscle weakness, that can make a person feel colder.

Key Points

Indirect Connection: Vitamin D deficiency can indirectly contribute to chills by slowing metabolism and weakening muscles, which impairs the body's ability to regulate its temperature.
Non-Feverish Chills: Unlike chills from an infection, those linked to vitamin D deficiency are typically not accompanied by a fever but are part of a more chronic, systemic issue.
Accompanied by Other Symptoms: Chills are rarely a sole symptom of low vitamin D; they usually present with fatigue, muscle weakness, bone pain, and mood changes.
Consult a Professional: Because chills can be a sign of many conditions, it's crucial to consult a healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis rather than self-diagnosing based on vitamin D status.
Treatment via Supplementation and Diet: Correcting a deficiency often involves taking vitamin D supplements, increasing safe sun exposure, and consuming fortified or naturally rich food sources.
Rule Out Common Causes: More common causes of chills, such as infections, anemia, and hypothyroidism, should be evaluated and ruled out by a medical professional.

Understanding the Indirect Link Between Vitamin D and Chills

While experiencing chills is commonly associated with infections like the flu, a lingering, unexplained feeling of coldness or occasional shivering can be a sign of an underlying nutritional issue. Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin," plays a critical role in more than just calcium absorption and bone health. Its involvement in several systemic functions explains how a deficiency can indirectly cause symptoms related to body temperature regulation.

How Vitamin D Deficiency Impairs Thermoregulation

Unlike an infection that triggers a fever-induced chill, the shivering and feeling of cold from a vitamin D deficiency stem from impaired metabolic and muscular processes. The body's ability to generate and conserve heat is a complex process controlled by the hypothalamus. When vitamin D levels are low, several interconnected mechanisms can be disrupted:

Reduced Metabolic Rate: Vitamin D is linked to metabolic function. A slower metabolism generates less heat, making an individual feel colder. This is a more systemic effect than the acute shivering from an infection.
Muscle Weakness and Fatigue: A common symptom of vitamin D deficiency is muscle weakness and fatigue. Weak muscles produce less heat, especially during activity, contributing to a lower overall body temperature and increased sensitivity to cold. The involuntary shivering of chills is also a muscular function, and its efficiency can be affected.
Impact on Circulation: While other vitamins like B12 have a more direct role in red blood cell production, poor nutrient absorption in a severely deficient state can indirectly affect overall circulation. Less efficient blood flow, particularly to the extremities, can cause cold hands and feet, which contributes to a general feeling of coldness and shivering.
Inflammatory Response: Vitamin D helps modulate the immune system and inflammatory responses. An ongoing, low-grade inflammatory state due to a deficiency can contribute to a general feeling of malaise, which might include feeling under the weather or cold.

Other Common Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

It is important to recognize that chills are not a primary or standalone symptom of a vitamin D deficiency. They are often accompanied by other, more classic signs. If you are experiencing chills along with any of the following, it is worth discussing with a healthcare provider:

Persistent Fatigue and Weakness: A feeling of being constantly tired, even after a full night's sleep.
Bone and Muscle Pain: Chronic pain in the bones, especially the back, or frequent muscle cramps.
Mood Changes: A link has been observed between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of depression.
Frequent Infections: A weaker immune system can result in getting sick more often.
Slow Wound Healing: The healing process for cuts or scrapes may be prolonged.
Hair Loss: This can be a less common but reported symptom.

Potential Causes of Chills Beyond Vitamin D

For a proper diagnosis, it is crucial to consider all potential causes of chills, as many are far more common than a nutrient deficiency. Infections are the most frequent culprit, but other conditions can also be responsible.

Common Causes of Chills

Infections: Viral or bacterial infections, such as the flu, common cold, pneumonia, or urinary tract infections (UTIs), often trigger chills and fever as the body fights off pathogens.
Anemia: Low red blood cell count (often from iron or B12 deficiency) leads to poor oxygen circulation, which can cause a feeling of coldness.
Hypothyroidism: An underactive thyroid gland slows down metabolism, a primary cause of feeling cold.
Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia): A sudden drop in blood glucose can trigger a hypoglycemic episode, with symptoms that include chills and shakiness.
Poor Circulation: Conditions like Peripheral Artery Disease or Raynaud's phenomenon can constrict blood vessels, leading to cold hands and feet and general cold sensitivity.

Comparison: Vitamin D Deficiency vs. Common Illness

Distinguishing between the symptoms can help determine if the cause is dietary or infectious. Here's a comparison table to highlight the differences:


Feature	Vitamin D Deficiency	Acute Infection (e.g., Flu)	Hypothyroidism	Anemia
Onset	Gradual, chronic	Sudden, acute	Gradual, slow progression	Gradual, chronic
Chills	Often a persistent feeling of coldness; less frequent, non-feverish shaking	Severe, rapid onset shivering, often with fever	Persistent cold intolerance	Frequent feeling of coldness, especially in extremities
Associated Symptoms	Fatigue, muscle weakness/pain, bone pain, low mood, slow wound healing	Fever, body aches, sore throat, cough, runny nose	Fatigue, weight gain, depression, dry skin, constipation	Fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, dizziness
Fever	Not typically present	Common, especially with flu and other viral infections	Not a direct symptom	Not a direct symptom
Cause	Inadequate sun exposure, dietary intake, or malabsorption	Viral or bacterial pathogen	Underactive thyroid gland	Iron or Vitamin B12 deficiency

Addressing and Preventing Vitamin D Deficiency

If you or your healthcare provider suspect a vitamin D deficiency, a simple blood test can confirm the diagnosis. Based on the severity, treatment is usually straightforward.

Treatment and Management

Supplementation: This is the most common and effective treatment. Supplements are available in D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol) forms, with D3 generally considered more easily absorbed by the body. Dosages vary, and a doctor should determine the appropriate amount.
Safe Sun Exposure: For most people, short, regular periods of direct sun exposure (around 10-30 minutes, several times a week) can significantly boost vitamin D production. However, skin color, location, and season affect production, and excessive exposure carries skin cancer risks.
Dietary Adjustments: While food sources alone are often insufficient to correct a significant deficiency, they are a vital component of prevention and maintenance. Good sources include:
- Fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel)
- Fortified foods (milk, cereal, orange juice)
- Egg yolks
- Mushrooms exposed to UV light

Conclusion

To answer the question, vitamin D deficiency can cause chills, but not in the same way a fever does. Instead, it leads to a feeling of coldness and impaired thermoregulation through its effects on metabolism and muscle function. This is often accompanied by other chronic symptoms like fatigue, bone pain, and low mood. A feeling of chills is a non-specific symptom, and many conditions can cause it. Therefore, if you experience persistent chills or a combination of the symptoms listed, it is essential to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Addressing a deficiency with supplements, dietary changes, and safe sun exposure can help restore not only your core temperature regulation but overall well-being. For more detailed medical guidance, consult the resources at the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Early signs of vitamin D deficiency are often subtle and can include a feeling of persistent fatigue, general muscle aches or weakness, and occasional bone pain.

Vitamin D deficiency can indirectly affect your body temperature by slowing your metabolic rate and weakening your muscles, which reduces the amount of heat your body naturally produces and conserves.

Yes, low vitamin D can lead to a persistent feeling of coldness or cold intolerance, especially in the hands and feet. This is linked to its effects on metabolism and circulation.

The fastest way to increase vitamin D levels is through supplementation, often with high-dose vitamin D3, under a doctor's supervision. Short, regular sun exposure and incorporating fortified foods are also beneficial.

Significant improvements from vitamin D supplementation, including symptoms like fatigue and muscle weakness, can often be noticed within 6-8 weeks, depending on the severity of the deficiency and the dosage.

Infections like pneumonia, influenza, and UTIs are common causes. Other conditions include anemia, hypothyroidism, and low blood sugar. It is important to see a doctor to rule out more serious causes.

While the body can produce vitamin D from sun exposure, supplementation is often a safer and more reliable way to ensure adequate intake without the risk of skin cancer from overexposure. Dietary sources also contribute but are typically not enough on their own.