Let’s talk about Vitamin D — not in the vague “it’s good for you” way, but in the very real, performance-level way that matters for runners, especially Masters and menopausal athletes.
I used to see Vitamin D as just another supplement on a shelf. Then I went into surgical menopause, started coaching more Masters athletes, and kept noticing the same patterns: fatigue that made no sense on paper, slower recovery, cranky tendons, low mood, bone-density concerns, and that foggy feeling athletes try to write off as “age.”
Vitamin D plays a role in all of that.
Not because it’s magic, but because it influences systems runners rely on.
Why Vitamin D matters for runners
Most people know it helps with bone health, but for athletes, the impact goes wider:
• muscle function and strength
• recovery and inflammation regulation
• immune support during high-volume blocks
• mood stability
• hormonal balance
• tendon and connective tissue resilience
For Masters and menopausal runners, low Vitamin D is even more common — and the symptoms overlap almost perfectly with the things athletes tend to ignore until they snowball.
Why deficiency is so widespread
And yes, most people are low in Vitamin D. Not because they’re doing anything wrong, but because modern life works against us.
Common reasons include:
• working indoors most of the day
• living in northern latitudes
• wearing sunscreen (important, but it reduces synthesis)
• darker skin pigmentation
• aging (we convert less through the skin as we get older)
• lower dietary intake
Menopause adds another layer. Lower estrogen impacts bone turnover, recovery, and inflammation — areas where Vitamin D matters a lot more than people realize.
A quick note on food sources
You can get Vitamin D from food, but it’s tough to hit optimal levels from diet alone. Foods like:
• salmon
• tuna
• egg yolks
• mushrooms
• fortified dairy or plant milks
help, but most athletes don’t meet the threshold without sun exposure or supplementation.
What runners actually need to know
This isn’t about chasing numbers or self-diagnosing deficiencies. It’s about understanding how Vitamin D interacts with your training and recovery.
If you’re dealing with:
• low energy
• bone stress injuries
• mood dips
• immune crashes during training cycles
• slow recovery
• unexplained aches
it’s worth asking your provider for a 25(OH)D blood test — the one that actually measures Vitamin D stores.
More importantly, it’s worth looking at your overall fueling, energy availability, and strength, because low Vitamin D symptoms overlap heavily with LEA.
If you’re under-fueled, stressed, or training hard without enough recovery, your body doesn’t utilize Vitamin D (and other nutrients) well. This is why many runners chase supplements instead of addressing the root cause.
The bigger takeaway
Vitamin D won’t “fix” your running.
But being deficient will absolutely make your training feel harder than it should.
Support your bones.
Support your recovery.
Support the hormonal shifts that come with age and menopause.
Support your energy availability.
And—please—support your actual training load with fueling that matches it.
If you want help getting the basics of fueling, hydration, and recovery dialed in so your body can actually use the nutrients you give it, I’ve got two resources that walk you through the foundation step by step.
Fuel Like You Mean It
If your energy, recovery, or gut hasn’t felt right, this guide helps you understand what your body needs to perform — especially as a Masters or menopausal athlete.
The LEA Protocol Guide
A full, athlete-focused system that helps you recognize and correct low energy availability, one of the biggest root causes behind fatigue, slow recovery, and nutrient absorption issues.
If you want individualized support that looks at training, fueling, hormones, and recovery together, let’s talk coaching. Your body will run better when it’s actually supported — not supplemented around the edges.