diff --git a/data/json/effects.json b/data/json/effects.json
index d0aa1987f58c2..802c0c170a49d 100644
--- a/data/json/effects.json
+++ b/data/json/effects.json
@@ -1518,45 +1518,55 @@
     {
         "type": "effect_type",
         "id": "brittlebone",
-        "name": [ "Brittle bones" ],
-        "desc": [ "A lack of calcium in your diet has made your bones brittle." ],
-        "apply_message": "Your bones have become brittle.",
+        "max_intensity": 2,
+        "name": [ "Hypocalcaemia", "Brittle bones" ],
+        "desc": [ "A lack of calcium in your diet will make your bones progressively weaker." ],
+        "apply_message": "Your bones are becoming more brittle.",
+        "decay_messages": [ [ "Your calcium deficiency is starting to resolve.", "good" ] ],
         "remove_message": "Your bones regain their usual strength.",
         "rating": "bad"
     },
     {
         "type": "effect_type",
         "id": "anemia",
-        "name": [ "Anemia" ],
-        "desc": [ "A lack of iron in your diet has made you anemic." ],
-        "apply_message": "You feel tired and listless.",
+        "max_intensity": 2,
+        "name": [ "Iron deficiency", "Anemia" ],
+        "desc": [ "A lack of iron in your diet will result in progressively worsening anemia." ],
+        "apply_message": "You beging feeling increasingly tired and listless.",
+        "decay_messages": [ [ "Your iron deficiency is starting to resolve.", "good" ] ],
         "remove_message": "You no longer feel anemic.",
         "rating": "bad"
     },
     {
         "type": "effect_type",
         "id": "nightblind",
-        "name": [ "Night blindness" ],
-        "desc": [ "A lack of vitamin A in your diet has affected your vision." ],
-        "apply_message": "You struggle to make out the finer details.",
+        "max_intensity": 2,
+        "name": [ "Poor vision", "Night blindness" ],
+        "desc": [ "A lack of vitamin A in your diet will progressively worsen your vision." ],
+        "apply_message": "You beging struggling to make out the finer details.",
+        "decay_messages": [ [ "Your vitamin A deficiency is starting to resolve.", "good" ] ],
         "remove_message": "Your normal visual accuity returns.",
         "rating": "bad"
     },
     {
         "type": "effect_type",
         "id": "slowheal",
-        "name": [ "Slow healing" ],
-        "desc": [ "A lack of vitamin B12 in your diet has affected your ability to heal." ],
-        "apply_message": "Simple wounds concern you more than usual.",
+        "max_intensity": 2,
+        "name": [ "B12 deficiency", "Slow healing" ],
+        "desc": [ "A lack of vitamin B12 in your diet will affect your ability to heal." ],
+        "apply_message": "Simple wounds are starting to concern you more than usual.",
+        "decay_messages": [ [ "Your vitamin B12 deficiency is starting to resolve.", "good" ] ],
         "remove_message": "Your wounds now heal normally.",
         "rating": "bad"
     },
     {
         "type": "effect_type",
         "id": "scurvy",
-        "name": [ "Scurvy" ],
-        "desc": [ "A lack of vitamin C in your diet has resulted in you developing scurvy." ],
-        "apply_message": "You have contracted scurvy.",
+        "max_intensity": 2,
+        "name": [ "Early scurvy", "Scurvy" ],
+        "desc": [ "A lack of vitamin C in your diet will result in progressively worse symptoms of scurvy." ],
+        "apply_message": "You start to develop symptoms of scurvy.",
+        "decay_messages": [ [ "Your vitamin C deficiency is starting to resolve.", "good" ] ],
         "remove_message": "Your scurvy has resolved.",
         "rating": "bad"
     },
diff --git a/data/json/vitamin.json b/data/json/vitamin.json
index 57b4406c78130..4292260adc586 100644
--- a/data/json/vitamin.json
+++ b/data/json/vitamin.json
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
     "type": "vitamin",
     "name": "Calcium",
     "min": -600,
-    "deficiency": [ [ "brittlebone", -300 ] ]
+    "deficiency": [
+      [ -250, "brittlebone", 1 ],
+      [ -300, "brittlebone", 2 ]
+    ]
   },
   {
     "id": "iron",
@@ -12,8 +15,11 @@
     "name": "Iron",
     "min": -600,
     "max": 200,
-    "deficiency": [ [ "anemia", -300 ] ],
-    "excess": [ [ "hypervitaminosis", 100 ] ]
+    "deficiency": [
+      [ -250, "anemia", 1 ],
+      [ -300, "anemia", 2 ]
+    ],
+    "excess": [ [ 100, "hypervitaminosis", 1 ] ]
   },
   {
     "id": "vitA",
@@ -21,21 +27,30 @@
     "name": "Vitamin A",
     "min": -200,
     "max": 200,
-    "deficiency": [ [ "nightblind", -100 ] ],
-    "excess": [ [ "hypervitaminosis", 100 ] ]
+    "deficiency": [
+      [ -100, "nightblind", 1 ],
+      [ -150, "nightblind", 2 ]
+    ],
+    "excess": [ [ 100, "hypervitaminosis", 1 ] ]
   },
   {
     "id": "vitB",
     "type": "vitamin",
     "name": "Vitamin B12",
     "min": -200,
-    "deficiency": [ [ "slowheal", -100 ] ]
+    "deficiency": [
+      [ -100, "slowheal", 1 ],
+      [ -150, "slowheal", 2 ]
+    ]
   },
   {
     "id": "vitC",
     "type": "vitamin",
     "name": "Vitamin C",
     "min": -200,
-    "deficiency": [ [ "scurvy", -100 ] ]
+    "deficiency": [
+      [ -100, "scurvy", 1 ],
+      [ -150, "scurvy", 2 ]
+    ]
   }
 ]
diff --git a/src/consumption.cpp b/src/consumption.cpp
index ac8c3e886919c..81bb853143bb8 100644
--- a/src/consumption.cpp
+++ b/src/consumption.cpp
@@ -116,9 +116,10 @@ int player::vitamin_mod( const vitamin_id &vit, int qty, bool capped )
     }
 
     auto eff = v.effect( it->second );
-    if( !eff.is_null() ) {
+    if( !eff.first.is_null() ) {
         // consumption rate may vary so extend effect until next check due for this vitamin
-        add_effect( eff, ( std::abs( vitamin_rate( vit ) ) * MINUTES( 1 ) ) - get_effect_dur( eff ) + 1 );
+        add_effect( eff.first, ( std::abs( vitamin_rate( vit ) ) * MINUTES( 1 ) ) - get_effect_dur( eff.first ) + 1,
+                    num_bp, false, eff.second );
     }
 
     return it->second;
diff --git a/src/vitamin.cpp b/src/vitamin.cpp
index 5ba3f855cdeb1..a251e636a717d 100644
--- a/src/vitamin.cpp
+++ b/src/vitamin.cpp
@@ -24,19 +24,19 @@ const vitamin &string_id<vitamin>::obj() const
     return found->second;
 }
 
-const efftype_id &vitamin::effect( int level ) const
+const std::pair<efftype_id, int> &vitamin::effect( int level ) const
 {
     for( const auto &e : deficiency_ ) {
-        if( level <= e.second ) {
-            return e.first;
+        if( level <= e.first ) {
+            return e.second;
         }
     }
     for( const auto &e : excess_ ) {
-        if( level >= e.second ) {
-            return e.first;
+        if( level >= e.first ) {
+            return e.second;
         }
     }
-    static efftype_id null_effect = NULL_ID;
+    static std::pair<efftype_id, int> null_effect = { NULL_ID, 1 };
     return null_effect;
 }
 
@@ -54,16 +54,25 @@ void vitamin::load_vitamin( JsonObject &jo )
         jo.throw_error( "vitamin consumption rate cannot be negative", "rate" );
     }
 
+    using disease = std::pair<int, std::pair<efftype_id, int>>;
+
     auto def = jo.get_array( "deficiency" );
     while( def.has_more() ) {
         auto e = def.next_array();
-        vit.deficiency_.emplace_back( efftype_id( e.get_string( 0 ) ), e.get_int( 1 ) );
+        vit.deficiency_.emplace_back( e.get_int( 0 ),
+                                      std::make_pair( efftype_id( e.get_string( 1 ) ), e.get_int( 2 ) ) );
     }
+    std::sort( vit.deficiency_.begin(), vit.deficiency_.end(),
+               []( const disease& lhs, const disease& rhs ) { return lhs.first < rhs.first; } );
+
     auto exc = jo.get_array( "excess" );
     while( exc.has_more() ) {
         auto e = exc.next_array();
-        vit.excess_.emplace_back( efftype_id( e.get_string( 0 ) ), e.get_int( 1 ) );
+        vit.excess_.emplace_back( e.get_int( 0 ),
+                                  std::make_pair( efftype_id( e.get_string( 1 ) ), e.get_int( 2 ) ) );
     }
+    std::sort( vit.excess_.rbegin(), vit.excess_.rend(),
+               []( const disease& lhs, const disease& rhs ) { return lhs.first < rhs.first; } );
 
     if( vitamins_all.find( vit.id_ ) != vitamins_all.end() ) {
         jo.throw_error( "parsed vitamin overwrites existing definition", "id" );
diff --git a/src/vitamin.h b/src/vitamin.h
index b837192bfa938..736afa877eeaf 100644
--- a/src/vitamin.h
+++ b/src/vitamin.h
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ class vitamin
             return rate_;
         }
 
-        /** Get applicable status effect (if any) at @ref level */
-        const efftype_id &effect( int level ) const;
+        /** Get applicable status effect and intensity (if any) at @ref level */
+        const std::pair<efftype_id, int> &effect( int level ) const;
 
         /** Load vitamin from JSON definition */
         static void load_vitamin( JsonObject &jo );
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ class vitamin
         int min_;
         int max_;
         int rate_;
-        std::vector<std::pair<efftype_id, int>> deficiency_;
-        std::vector<std::pair<efftype_id, int>> excess_;
+        std::vector<std::pair<int, std::pair<efftype_id, int>>> deficiency_;
+        std::vector<std::pair<int, std::pair<efftype_id, int>>> excess_;
 };
 
 #endif