- What is vitamin D?
- How much do you need?
- Optimal blood levels
- Deficiency
- Sources
- Can we get enough from the sun?
- Supplements video
- Too much
- FAQ
- Summary
What is vitamin D?
A fat-soluble vitamin called vitamin D is involved in numerous vital bodily processes.
The two types of vitamin D found in food and supplements are as follows:
Ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2, is present in certain mushrooms.
Cholecalciferol, a form of vitamin D3, is present in egg yolks, fish liver oil, and oily fish.
Your skin can produce significant amounts of vitamin D when exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Any excess vitamin D is stored in your body fat for future use.
A vitamin D receptor can be found on almost all of your body’s cells. Numerous processes, such as bone health, immune system performance, and inflammation reduction, depend on it. It also aids calcium absorption in the body.
How much vitamin D do you need?
The following vitamin D dosages should be consumed each day, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Trusted Source:
Age (in years, male or female)
age 0 to 12Amount: 10 mcg (400 IU).
1-70 years15 mcg (600 IU)
older than 71 years, 20 mcg (800 IU)
The actual quantity of vitamin D you will require, either from your food or through supplements, depends on a variety of variables.
Among them are, but not restricted to:
Age, the quantity of melanin in your skin, your latitude, the season, how much sun you get, and the clothes you wear all play a role in skin tone.
Whether you are obese or not.
What are the optimal blood levels of vitamin D?
By evaluating the blood’s 25(OH)DTrusted Source concentration, doctors can determine the vitamin D levels in a patient. This is the type of vitamin D that the body stores.
However, ideal blood levels are not universally defined. One explanation for this is because researchers still don’t fully comprehend how vitamin D functions in the human body.
The levels listed by the NIHTrusted Source are:
How common is vitamin D deficiency?
One of the most widespread nutritional deficiencies in the world is a lack of vitamin D. About 35% of adults in the United States have inadequate levels of vitamin D. In India, Turkey, and Iran, almost 90% of newborns and older individuals were impacted, according to one study.
The majority of Black American children and breastfed infants in the US are likely to suffer from rickets, a bone disorder caused by insufficient vitamin D levels.
Your requirements for vitamin D may be met by sporadic sun exposure if you have access to bright sunlight all year.
- live far north or south of the equator
- rarely go outdoors
- have obesity
- have higher levels of skin melanin, as with darker skin tones
- wear clothes that cover your whole body
What are the main sources of vitamin D?
You can get vitamin D from:
- sun exposure
- foods containing vitamin D
- supplements
Given that so few foods contain considerable levels of vitamin D, diet-related vitamin D consumption is typically fairly low.
Foods that contain vitamin D includeTrusted Source:
- fatty fish, such as salmon
- fish liver oils
- mushrooms
- egg yolks
- fortified foods, such as milk and cereals
How much is too much?
While incidences of vitamin D toxicity are rare, getting too much can be harmful.
It could lead to:
- nausea
- vomiting
- muscle weakness
- confusion
- loss of appetite
- dehydration
- kidney stones
