The #1 Reason Your Vertigo Keeps Returning (& How to Stop It)

Name: The #1 Reason Your Vertigo Keeps Returning (& How to Stop It)
Uploaded: 2026-08-27T12:00:36.000Z
Duration: 7 min 48 s
Channel: Dr. Eric Berg DC

Dr. Eric Berg DCAugust 27, 20267m

Topics10

The Number One Reason Your Vertigo Keeps Returning0:00 Understanding BPPV and Calcium Crystals0:30 The Role of Osteopontin1:00 Connection to Osteoporosis and Bone Health1:31 Why Vertigo Is More Common After Menopause2:02 Vitamin D Protocol2:31 Vitamin K2 Requirements5:00 Magnesium as Master Controller6:00 Long-Term vs Short-Term Solution6:31 Research Availability7:00

In a Nutshell

The #1 reason vertigo returns after the Epley maneuver is that high osteopontin levels keep detaching calcium crystals from inner-ear hairs; this is driven by low vitamin D activity, especially after menopause. Taking 6,000–10,000 IU vitamin D3, 100 mcg K2 (MK-7), and 400 mg magnesium glycinate daily restores control of osteopontin, secures the crystals, and prevents recurrence. The maneuver fixes position, but the vitamin protocol fixes the underlying cause.

AI-Generated Notes

These notes were generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies.

The number one reason why vertigo keeps coming back is that the Epley maneuver fixes where the crystals are but doesn't fix why those crystals keep falling off in the first place. The Epley maneuver positions the head to move loose calcium crystals back into their proper place to stop creating vertigo or dizziness, and it really does work. However, for a lot of people the dizziness keeps coming back, requiring them to keep doing the Epley maneuver over and over.

You have little calcium crystals that should normally be attached to tiny little hairs. The reason why there's calcium crystals at the top of this little hair is to help you sense your position in space. The problem is these little crystals can pop off and start floating in the wrong location creating vertigo. That's called BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), which is the most common type of vertigo.

These crystals are supposed to be glued or cemented to the hair with a very special glue. It's a calcium binding protein called osteopontin. As long as this binding protein is keeping the calcium attached in the gel area, everything is good and there's no vertigo. However, when this calcium binding protein goes too high, it becomes unregulated and starts to degrade the connection between the crystal and the hair, which is what makes it break off.

When this protein is too high in your bone, the calcium in the bone can't stay in the bone and starts leaving the bone. This is very similar to the calcium leaving the inner ear and traveling to another location. The main influence over that protein is vitamin D. There's significant research in people taking enough vitamin D and actually putting this condition back in remission, including a meta analysis on the prevention of BPPV using vitamin D. Vitamin D also controls calcium and helps you absorb calcium in your gut.

This condition is more common in women after menopause because when estrogen drops that far, the vitamin D receptor loses its sensitivity. There's a connection between low estrogen and vitamin D sensitivity. In other words, the less estrogen you have, the less vitamin D is going to work in your body because that receptor is no longer as sensitive to pull in that vitamin D.

The recommended protocol is not the regular RDA of 600 IUs of vitamin D3, as that's not going to do anything to really influence and get this calcium binding protein to be regulated properly. You would need between 6,000 to 10,000 IUs of vitamin D3 every single day. If you had osteoporosis, that number would probably be higher.

Sign in to read the full notes

Get access to AI-generated notes, topic timestamps, and more.

The #1 Reason Your Vertigo Keeps Returning (& How to Stop It)

The Number One Reason Your Vertigo Keeps Returning00:00

Understanding BPPV and Calcium Crystals00:30

The Role of Osteopontin01:00

Connection to Osteoporosis and Bone Health01:31

Sign in to read the full notes