We know that all vitamins are vital for our health and well-being, but I’ll go out on a limb and state that vitamin D is particularly important. Almost 80 percent of the American population is vitamin D deficient, so let’s talk about how much of this critical fat-soluble vitamin we need and how we can get enough of it.
The three most efficient ways to consume vitamin D are through exposure to the sun, eating food that is high in vitamin D, and taking supplements. To ensure you get adequate amounts of vitamin D, you can implement any combination of these three sources.
Why is vitamin D important, and how much do we need?
Did you know that vitamin D actually is a hormone produced by the kidneys to help us absorb calcium from the gut into the bloodstream?
The liver and kidneys convert vitamin D into the active hormone, calcitriol, which also prevents calcium loss from the kidneys.
Our skin produces vitamin D as we are exposed to the sun, and we absorb it from the foods we eat. Vitamin D changes bone cell activity and affects how new bones are formed in both kids and adults. Vitamin D can also strengthen immune function and cellular growth, and it can help to prevent mood imbalances such as depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Not getting enough vitamin D can lead to bone diseases like osteomalacia and, eventually, osteoporosis. A deficiency can also increase your risk of heart disease, autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, and even death.
The official minimum amount to strive for each day is merely 400-600 IUs (international units). Many experts believe that this amount is not nearly enough for optimal health, and they encourage people to take anything from 1000 IUs up to 2000 IUs or, for severely deficient persons, 5,000 IUs and upwards.
The two most common forms of Vitamin D are D2 and D3. D3, which can be found in foods like fish oil and egg yolk and is produced as a result of exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light. D3 is the form that appears to boost vitamin D blood levels. D2 is plant-sourced.
How can I get enough vitamin D from the sun?
Your skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun; that’s why it is referred to as the “sunshine vitamin.” How much your skin makes from the sun depends mainly on your location, the season of the year, the amount (or lack of) cloud cover, and how much clothing you’re wearing.
One standard recommendation is to get between 5 and 30 minutes of sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to the face, arms, legs, or back
at least twice a week. The key is to not wear sunscreen while attempting to get vitamin D from the sun, because the sunscreen blocks your skin from receiving it. For those of us with darker skin tones, we need even more time in the sun because we tend to be more deficient, and our skin protects us more from the sun’s effects.
In some locations, and during some seasons of the year, it’s not easy to get sun exposure. So, what other options are available in order to get sufficient vitamin D?
How can I get enough vitamin D from food?
Vitamin D is naturally found in fatty fish, liver, and egg yolks. Also, some mushrooms make it when they’re exposed to the sun.
Some foods, including milk, some orange juices, breakfast cereals, and yogurt, are fortified with vitamin D. Their labels will indicate how much has been added per serving.
Because vitamin D is fat soluble, you can increase how much of it you absorb from your food if you eat vitamin-D-rich foods with a moderate amount of healthy fats, such as can be found in avocados, eggs, oily fish (think sardines), cheese, and chia seeds.
Even with sun exposure and food intake, it still may be difficult to get even the minimum dose of 400 IUs of vitamin D each day. This is why supplementation is quite popular.
How can I get enough vitamin D from supplements?
It’s easy enough to just pop a pill or take some cod liver oil (which also contains vitamin A). Either of these supplement sources can ensure that you get the minimum amount of vitamin D, plus a bit extra.
But before you take supplements that contain vitamin D, make sure that they won’t interact with other supplements or medications you may be taking. Always read your labels, and ask a healthcare professional for advice. Also, don’t take more than the suggested dosage on the label of any vitamin D supplement, unless your health practitioner has determined that you need more.
The maximum amount of vitamin D recommended for the general population is 4,000-5000 IUs per day. Too much can raise your blood levels of calcium to an unsafe level, and this can affect your heart and kidneys.
The best step to take, if you’re concerned about your vitamin D levels, is to ask your healthcare professional to have a blood test done. Make sure that you ask for the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D test, also known as the 25 (OH) D test. Based on the test results, your healthcare provider can recommend how much vitamin D in supplement form is right for you.
Normally, a reading of 50 or more signifies a pretty good vitamin D level. A reading of 30 to 50 indicates that you may need to get more through the three methods described in this post (sunshine, food, supplementation). Any results lower than 30 mean your level is very poor and needs to be upgraded immediately. Your healthcare practitioner may recommend higher amounts of supplementation for a short time while under their care.
Recipe : Super-simple grilled salmon
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 4 wild salmon fillets
- 1 bunch asparagus
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 black pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp dried dill
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Directions
- Preheat the oven broiler and raise the oven rack. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet and place fish on top, skin-side down. Surround with a single layer of asparagus.
- Sprinkle the fish and asparagus with sea salt, pepper, parsley, and dill. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Broil for 8-10 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve & enjoy!
- Tip: Serve with a side of rice or quinoa.
Have you had your vitamin D levels checked recently? Which source of vitamin D do you depend on most?
P.S.: Are you up to a challenge? A Self-Love Challenge? Join me for the free 7-Day Self-Love Challenge here: http://eepurl.com/gfV_JX.
I always wonder if we can get it through windows.. because there’s not a lot of sunshine lately but we have a skylight that shines so brightly.
I actually eat foods with it and take supplements in the winter. In the spring and summer I don’t need to but I definitely do now!
Tamara, here’s what I just read: “Vitamin D is produced by the body when the skin is hit by UVB rays, with 7-dehydrocholesterol being the resulting chemical. But most glass windows block this wavelength, meaning you can’t reap the health benefits.” So it’s good that you’re eating vitamin-D-rich foods and taking supplements. Here’s to summer and all of its vitamin D benefits!
Yummy salmon!
On my last physical, my Vitamin D was excellent. Over the past year I’ve started taking the supplement because it’s been low before. So now that I know the simple pill is working I’ll keep it. I know I don’t get much sun in the Winter and in the summer it’s hard to be out there and in it for more that 5 minutes. Somedays it’s too hot to check the mail.
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I know what you mean about it being too hot to check the mail! Sometimes I used to wait until evening to venture to the mailbox. But I’m glad that your vitamin D levels are on point.