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The Optimal Dose: Restore Your Health With the Power of Vitamin D3

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Are you, a loved one or a friend still suffering from a health issue or concerned about one like COVID-19 after exhausting traditional healthcare options? Do you or they constantly feel fatigued or unhealthy, but cannot figure out why? Do you wake up multiple times at night, have sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome? Are you overweight and yet always hungry, and wondered why? Are you concerned your immune system is not strong enough to protect you say from Covid-19?You might be surprised to learn that all these issues are typically the result of a deficiency of vitamin D3. Which has been misunderstood since its discovery in 1939. Those with optimal blood plasma levels never contracted the flu and almost always those who were sick or died from Covid-19 had extremely low blood plasma levels of vitamin D3. The key is the blood plasma levels. Unfortunately in my opinion and research I found you need much higher doses than the government RDA to reach them. Winter is coming protect yourself!

Though it is called a vitamin, vitamin D3 is actually a hormone with receptors like thyroid hormone. Its first medical use was to treat rickets. And, since then nearly all the research on it has been done at doses that are ridiculously low. In fact 50 times lower than the optimal doses described in this book.

That is why the research has failed to demonstrated all the amazing effects vitamin D3 at optimal blood levels has on improving your health. This ground-breaking book is your opportunity to begin the journey to regain your health.

In The Optimal Dose, This book reveals how vitamin D3 saved the authors life after years of failed medical care and when all else failed. It also explains how this essential substance is key to assuring you have the best health possible. How thousands of patients treated with the optimal dose to achieve optimal blood levels saw amazing improvements in their sleep quality. Those who were overweight lost weight. How those on this dose never again had the flu.

How he nd his patients experienced these improvements with optimal blood levels which started in 2010. For example concerning obesity at optimal doses it results in reducing your appetite, speeds up your metabolism and blocks excessive fat absorption. Vitamin D3 is the ideal diet pill. In the book it explains how one lady lost 200 pounds over two years and multiple men lost 70+ pounds in 3 months!

Yes these are the poster child cases but he explains how and why this occurs. How this is a common effect in almost all, and does this in a concise as well as easy to understand way. In the book it also explains how Vitamin D3 at optimal blood levels affects the part of your brain that controls your muscles during sleep. The muscles that when there is inadequate vitamin D3 results in restless leg syndrome, snoring and sleep apnea. Resulting in sleep deprivation. Leading to a deterioration in your energy levels and health. Think obesity, depression brain fog, and chronic fatigue among many other health issues.

In the book it also explains how the flu and other upper respiratory tract infections occur much more often in the winter due to vitamin D3 deficiency. How he and his patients who took optimal doses of vitamin D3 never again suffered from these. This book also explains other health issues you may suffer from and how vitamin D3 will help you regain your health.

Unless you are resigned to waking up multiple times at night (no it isn’t because you have to urinate), being fat and/or living in fear of the flu. This book is concise, to the point, and full of great information. Also it is easy to understand read and understand.

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2018

520 people are currently reading
161 people want to read

About the author

Judson Somerville

1 book3 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Marcus Goncalves.
818 reviews6 followers
November 14, 2020
Overall, a well researched book, with a good lay breakdowns of medical processes. Aside from being a bit repetitive, my main concerns are related to important aspects of high doses of vitamin D not discussed, and the fact that he had lost his doctor’s license to practice medicine around the same time this book was first published. Without passing any judgement, I’d suggest readers to triangule the information contained in this book, seeking other cross-references, and not take it at face value, which is a good approach with everything in life, anyway.
1 review2 followers
January 29, 2025
This was a fabulous book! It was written clearly and concisely with incredible information. If you care about your health, read this book and implement its suggestions.
Profile Image for Melinda.
149 reviews
December 10, 2020
In 2012, I read 2 Kindle books about Vitamin D3 and have been taking it ever since. My normal/starting dose has been 2,000 iu. I figured that between my supplements, diet and outdoor exposure, I was probably getting plenty! I have fairly some common aging health issues - osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and hypothyroid. But overall, I felt pretty good and have comfortably maintained my activity level.
Fast forward to 2020 and the COVID outbreak. In early March, I increased my dose to 20,000 iu to ensure that my immune system was strengthened. My physician has monitored my VD3 blood level (@ 20,000iu) and I am still well within the safe range. In November, I read an online article that referred to Dr. Somerville's book - The Optimal Dose and I bought it. After reading it, it occurred to me that I have been able to completely withdraw from my prescription anti-inflammatory medication. I used to take it several times a week especially on the days when I was more physically active. I have rarely felt a need to take anything over the last 8 months and it's only been when I really overdid it! This book helped me to realize that the increase in VD3 could be affecting this.
The book is a quick read and an excellent resource for future reference. It is written in layman's terms with lots of examples of health successes, Dr. Somerville's own health plus that of many of his patients. I just started the "optimal dose" - 30,000 iu about one week ago and I'm hoping to see additional benefits (lose 10#! 😁), sleeping better, and staying overall healthy. VD3 is a relatively inexpensive supplement that can supercharge your immune system and restore your health!
Profile Image for Michelle Schulten.
211 reviews2 followers
April 8, 2019
A lot of good information, although he repeats himself at the beginning of every chapter.
Profile Image for Sarah Stuart.
Author 22 books104 followers
November 16, 2018
Reviewed by Sarah Stuart for Readers' Favorite

Judson Somerville MD is a practising doctor with thousands of patients in his care. Eight years ago, he realised his own poor health was affecting the quality of care he could offer, and he set out to address, first, his poor sleep. In simple terms, he discovered that low levels of vitamin D3 cause “Winter Syndrome” 365 days a year – poor sleep, obesity, depression, and slow healing of wounds or recovery from illness. The benefits of taking the optimal dose are astounding. Name anything from cancer to diabetes and vitamin D3 enables to body to fight back. This is needed; diets and lifestyles have changed dramatically over the last century. Why not read The Optimal Dose: With the Power of Vitamin D3? What do you have to lose? Unwanted body fat? Fatigue? Misery?

In The Optimal Dose: With the Power of Vitamin D3, Judson Somerville goes on to say research is still needed, and readers should NOT begin taking this supplement without the support of their doctor; levels can be established with a simple blood test, and unlikely ill-effects noted and monitored. This statement gave me the confidence to read on, and I discovered this is no boring quasi-medical textbook; it’s very readable. For easy reference, each chapter ends with a short recap of the important points. “Physician heal thyself” is very evident; Dr Somerville dosed himself before his patients until Stasha A. Gominak, MD ratified his findings with her Harvard research. The Optimal Dose: With the Power of Vitamin D3 is a must-read!
163 reviews5 followers
December 19, 2018
Well-written, quick and simple to read, and backed up with easy-to-understand science. I was a skeptic but, having scrutinised this book from start to finish, I've decided that it explains a great deal and I'm definitely going to look at my Vitamin D3 levels and those of my family. I couldn’t put it down because it ticked so many boxes for me and those I know: Alzheimer’s, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Autism, weight gain, sleep apnea, immune problems – the list has no end. Do yourself this one favour; you won’t regret it.
Profile Image for HANIT BENBASSAT.
Author 1 book4 followers
October 28, 2018
Highly recommend!

The work on this book is powerful and timely. It is a Wayshower. I love it!
Very glad to have read this book with an important message to share, it brings inspiration and hope in the way people look at their health. It is life changing for those who read and embrace the change it is recommended with the research and many successful testimonials through the years of experience.
Profile Image for Vasi Li.
1 review
November 18, 2018
It's a marvelous research and a great book. Why marvelous? Because it works and you will see the effects. I use it for more than 3 months now. I started with 10000UI, then changed my douse to 30000UI as doctor Judson recommends in his book. Of course, I did my blood tests and kept control of the level of Vitamin D (25(OH)D Total (O91)). I recommend this book. Try the recommended dose with your own doctor.
Profile Image for Jelani Rios.
Author 1 book1 follower
October 27, 2018
Great case for D3!

I love the authors writing style and personal stories that support his D3 recommendations. The facts and science are also there to support this book. An informative and fun read!
Profile Image for Douglas Larson.
479 reviews22 followers
June 26, 2020
Very informative and well researched author Somerville uses his own experience as well as that of his patients as testimony to the effectiveness of the proper dosage of vitamin D3 . He also cites references at the end of each chapter. My only complaint is that it's a bit repetitive.
Profile Image for Jennifer Yates.
Author 10 books36 followers
November 14, 2018
This was so interesting, I read the whole book in one night. Definitely helpful information!
Profile Image for Carmen.
57 reviews1 follower
May 27, 2025
I am appalled by the amount of misinformation in this book, especially considering that it was written by an MD. It is extremely concerning that people with these credentials are so quick to present downright falsehoods as fact.

For one, the author claims that optimal levels of vitamin D3 can cure various health ailments that not only haven’t been studied and thus his claims can’t be substantiated, but he provides absolutely false definitions of certain diseases. He claims that RLS is a disorder resulting from the body being unable to enter REM atonia, and so the legs do not get effectively paralyzed during sleep. Anyone who has actually experienced RLS will know how bogus this definition is.

And for that matter, the author uses the terms “REM sleep” and “deep restorative sleep” interchangeably. These are two different sleep stages with different functions. He tries to claim that the body does the majority of its repair work during the paralysis of “deep sleep.” First of all, that paralysis only occurs in REM sleep, which again, is different from deep sleep. Secondly, that state of paralysis is NOT when major repair work gets done. It is during actual deep sleep, just not the authors’ false definition of deep sleep.

There are plenty more examples of misinformation throughout this book but I won’t waste my time outlining all of them here, and I would recommend you not wasting your time reading this book. I almost didn’t finish it and now that I have, I wish I hadn’t. There is nothing helpful in here. The fact that the author makes such ridiculous claims renders the few things he says that actually ARE based in fact completely unreliable. Establishing and maintaining trust with your reader when writing a book that is meant to be informative should be the #1 priority.
Profile Image for Alex Shrugged.
2,753 reviews30 followers
April 9, 2021
I would have given this book another star except for the repetitive narrative. The author could have made the same points with a much shorter book (like a third shorter). In the text he said that he left some things out because he didn't want to get too detailed. I certainly understand that desire. I suspect he would have become bogged down in the details. As it was there were too many acronyms used such as DRS, meaning "Deep Restorative Sleep". The text would have been made clearer by using the phrase "Deep Restorative Sleep" more often than DRS.

A number of acronyms were OK such as IU (International Units) or TB (tuberculosis), but I had to think about what MRSA was. (It is a type of bacterial infection that is resistant to antibiotics.) I also know that ml means milliliter, but I had to think about what ng meant. (nanogram). I still don't know what mcg means although I suspect the "g" means grams. I have seen "mcg" used on the labels of vitamins, so whatever it means, I can compare what is written in the book to the labels on vitamin bottles.

Overall, the book has a good message. I think it needs some judicial editing along with a chapter talking about how vitamin K2 relates to D3. Should they be combined? I don't recall the author addressing the question.

I think the author made his case. I'm going to take his advice and increase my dosage of D3.

I will probably read this book again and I will look for interviews of the author to see if he has any updates to the information he gave in the book.
Profile Image for Johan Horak.
73 reviews
June 17, 2022
The best vitamin d3 book ever

It was not my first book on vitamin D3. I have read a lot. And am convinced. But I wanted more. I had to get to the bottom of why and how D3 works.

I got it all from this book. It is so easy to read. It's structured well. And concise. You know what the book will tell you and what not. At the end you get a summary.

I read the kindle version and highlighted many paragraphs just to read there's a summary. But who cares. I can now read the highlights twice. And I will.

I understand the reasons why we get fat sick and bad because of winter syndrome while we have abundant summer food everyday. But our industrial lifestyle is not in accordance with our evolution.

We all are faced with this dilemma and the our so called trusted advisor (government, medical doctors and nutritionist) are oblivious to how to solve this dilemma.

Dr Juson Sommerville had no choice but to dug himself out of his tragic accident - the cause; sleeping poorly and getting fat. He looked back at the successful vitamin advice his mother gave him to break the rules and bring us this amazing book.
Profile Image for Anas Al-ameen.
34 reviews19 followers
September 26, 2020
If I were to laud this book it would be for its unprecedented attempt to explore higher doses' effects on health. The book itself is redundant and unnecessarily long, it could've been written in an article or a blog post, or better yet published in a scientific journal, perhaps that would encourage researchers to do more studies on higher doses, not necessarily 30,000, but enough to break out of the low standard numbers recognized by public health officials.

Overall, it's worth a read, perhaps I would experiment with with the dose myself. I think Dr. Somerville is an honest and respectable gentleman and he seems to want the best for people, and certainly doesn't intent to harm anybody. Who knows? perhaps this skepticism I have now would be readily quashed by the positive effects I would get once I try what he recommends in the book. But beforehand I'll try to do my own research to be extra safe.
Profile Image for Johanna Liljegren.
8 reviews
October 31, 2022
This is the only book you ever need about health.

On a personal level, this book really resonates with me and my own experiences with Hormone D. It's been over 12 years since I was sick, and I am taking 20.000 IU of hormone D supplements daily, plus drink chaga tea, wich is rich on vitamin C and D.

Hormone D (not vitamin D) is our elixir of life. This is why Big Pharma doesnt want you to know the importance of Hormone D and all its benefits on our health. If we all took the ODA of hormone D, we would never get sick, wich means we would never spend money on Antibiotics or medicines that we dont need.

Dr sommerville covers all the important parts, of course he could've added more to the book, but i think this is more than enough to understand the importance of hormone D.

Take your hormone D people.
40 reviews
September 7, 2020
It takes one to know one!

Only when one has truly suffered the terror and devastation of prolonged illness and pain can s/he understand the true impact such ill health has on a life. When you've travelled for so long in darkness you completely appreciate the light. It is both unfortunate and fortunate that Dr. Somerville's path took him to such depths. And it is a true testament to his fine character that he fought valiantly for so long for not only his own life but the lives and well-being of his many patients. I am just beginning my new treatment path using Dr. Somerville's methods and feel that after so many years of pain and sickness there's Finally Hope for a measure of recovery for me. If only the world had more Dr. Somervilles...sigh.
Profile Image for Kate Hopkins.
259 reviews3 followers
January 31, 2025
Interesting that he gives a very specific amount of vitamin D to dose with each day & the subsequent blood levels that should be achieved. However, I’m not sure I buy all his theories about how lack of vitamin D has caused so many chronic diseases. After all 150 years ago we didn’t have this level of obesity and chronic disease and yet we were avoiding the sun as much as we are today because we were indoors and generally much more clothed. So, there must be other factors at play here. He briefly touches on ultra processed foods, which must be a huge factor. But having said that and read a lot of other books on vitamin D and listened to many doctors on podcasts I agree that we should aim for optimal levels in our blood.
Profile Image for Vaag Gukasyan.
1 review9 followers
June 20, 2020
my levels were 5.8 - (!) extremely LOW. i was barely walking. i wanted to sleep all day long! i had chronic insomnia. my dr. prescribed 800 UI daily. after 8 months - still no results
then i learned about "high" doses. started 30.000-50.000 ui. yes i was scared to do it and wanted to stop taking “So Much” this book and that there are scientific practical evidence for that i continued. thanks to this book my trust and confidence grew even bigger! now after 5 months my vit D level is 87! I took zahler 50k ui, (i think other brands also work well) now i feel like i am 15 y.o. - the level of energy i have now is unbelievable! thank you
Profile Image for James.
120 reviews1 follower
January 23, 2024
(Lost my original review due to a PC crash, and don't want to rewrite it all right now...)

While the author may be right that people aren't supposed to wake up many times per night, especially to use the restroom (unless it's a person with a prostate or bladder issue), I think that this is neglecting the percentage of the population who are biphasic, or even more rare polyphasic, sleepers.
That will wake up about halfway through more often than not, and want to do stuff, but have to go back to sleep due to societal norms around monophasic sleep being "how sleep should be and your day should be structured."
Profile Image for Michael.
653 reviews1 follower
February 15, 2025
An intriguing book about vitamin D3 from a medical doctor. While I agree that standard recommendations are too low and vitamin D is a powerful hormone, I'm slightly hesitant to recommend this book in isolation—definitely discuss any supplementation changes with your medical care team.

Where it shines is in simply explaining the mechanism and (rare) risks of "high-dose" vitamin D.

Personally, I strongly recommend seasonal vitamin D supplementation if you don't get enough UVB sun exposure with the UV index > 4. Keeping serum vitamin D levels is very important for athletic performance and general health. I know Dan Bernardot, author of , recommends keeping levels above 40ng/mL, while there seems to be growing consensus that ideal levels are between 50–70ng/mL. Don't fly blind, get it tested! Any lab can perform the test, and it's relatively inexpensive if your insurance doesn't cover it.
Profile Image for Jim Kruszynski sr..
20 reviews
May 3, 2021
Vitamin D3 facts you never knew

I have read many books and articles on Vitamin D3 and by far this book is more clear and easily understood book I have read on this topic. Although there are others out there, This book breaks it down in layman's terms. The author is a doctor with thousands of patients who have benefitted from his research. I highly recommend this book and I will definitely follow his advice in the future and Will let you know how I made out. This is a must read!!
55 reviews
December 25, 2024
Vitamin D3 has improved my health. I started taking it after my doctor noticed low levels during a routine checkup. Since then, I’ve felt a noticeable boost in my energy and mood, especially during the darker winter months. I also learned how important it is for bone health and immunity. I buy my supplements from Canadian Pharmacy because they offer high-quality options at great prices. It’s important to take the right dose, though, I always follow my doctor’s recommendations to avoid overdoing it.
14 reviews
April 16, 2021
Fantastic Subject/Poor writing

Positives: This was a mind-blowing book and I hope the author is 100% correct in his conclusions because I have started the program in hopes of getting some decent sleep for the first time in years. Time will tell, with no risk and only a small cash outlay.
Negatives: This book needed a good editor or a ghost writer. I am guessing he dictated it. I only took off one star because the subject is so important.
58 reviews
November 22, 2023
Really Thought Provoking Info

This is really good information! I've read similar books but this one has the science and the practical experience of thousands of patients behind it. I've been taking 8,000 to 10,000 IU off and on for some time with decent results. I'm definitely going to test this out myself. Like others say, I'll take some extra vitamin K2

I highly recommend this book!
32 reviews
October 1, 2024
This is a really interesting book. A little repetitive at times, but that actually helps solidify the messages about the benefits of optimum blood plasma levels of Vitamin D as a hormone that regulates numerous pathways in the body. Overall this was fascinating and I did learn a lot. However I do wonder how much of it is speculative, and maybe Vitamin D isn't the cure-all this claims to be, especially towards the latter chapters.
Profile Image for Keri.
129 reviews14 followers
November 27, 2020
Enjoyed and want to try

I had never heard of high dose vitamin D therapy before this book. I found the information and testimonials really encouraging. I’m planning on trying this out to help with fatigue and sleep issues. I wish more doctors would step outside the box to help their patients.
Profile Image for Bradysmom00.
5 reviews
January 22, 2021
Vitamin D3 is so much more important than we are led to believe

This book is well written and supplies the supporting science behind understanding "optimal dose" of Vitamin D and why optimal dose is so important in supporting health. In light of the current global environment, this book is a valuable guide.
Profile Image for Rudy Perez.
Author 1 book1 follower
June 20, 2020
A Revelation

A wonderful book by an advocate for the patient. The information on the astounding health benefits of vitamin d3 is revolutionary and I intend to follow Doctor Somerville's protocol. Highly recommend.
2 reviews
July 21, 2020
Amazing!

I have been advocating for my health and fighting against constant misdiagnosis and prescribing of unnecessary medications for my entire adult life. I am amazed at Dr. Somerville's discoveries and I can't wait to try it and see the results!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

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