Few foods naturally contain vitamin D unless fortified (which is how most orange juice and milk are made). Fatty fish (such as tuna and salmon), beef liver, egg yolks, and mushrooms all provide small amounts of this essential nutrient.

Vitamin D is known to aid bone health and immunity; however, according to a recent clinical trial it did not significantly lower cancer or heart disease risks.

Vitamin D: The Sunshine Vitamin

Vitamin D, often referred to as the Sunshine Vitamin, plays an essential role in helping your body absorb calcium for strong bones. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children; sunlight and some foods naturally contain this essential nutrient; however, most individuals don’t meet their minimum requirements through diet alone.

Most experts concur on a daily Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin D of 600 International Units for adults 19 years or older. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level, or UL, of Vitamin D for adults is set at 4,000IU; which should not cause harm. Supplements containing D2 (“ergocalciferol”) or D3 (“cholecalciferol”) may also contain the vitamin; check labels of breakfast cereals to see if this additive exists; get fortified foods like orange juice, yogurt margarine or soy beverages; plus use topical creams that contain this essential vitamin!

How to Get Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, an essential building block for bones. Additionally, it plays an essential role in muscle movement regulation and nerve transmission between brain and body.

Your body produces vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight, which converts a chemical in the skin into active vitamin D (calciferol). However, cloud cover, smog, sunscreen use and age all reduce how much vitamin D the skin can make. Living nearer the equator offers more sun exposure and thus has lower risks of vitamin D deficiency compared to people living further north where sunlight exposure is harder to come by. Sunscreens with an SPF rating of 15 or greater also decrease its ability to make vitamin D production.

Food sources that are rich in vitamin D include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel; beef liver; egg yolks and fortified milk and cereal products. All these sources contain bioavailable forms of the vitamin that your body can easily absorb.

Vitamin D supplements can be an effective way to raise your levels in the blood. Two forms most frequently used as dietary supplements are D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol), both increasing vitamin D in your system; with D3 generally raising it higher and for longer.

Diets rich in calcium and vitamin D could help protect against osteoporosis, a disease which weakens bones. Vitamin D could also offer protection from multiple sclerosis – an illness which affects nerves that transmit signals between the brain and other parts of the body.

Vitamin D supplements typically do not cause side effects at recommended doses, although too much vitamin D can be dangerous, leading to nausea, vomiting, confusion and excess thirst. Overdoing it could even lead to kidney and heart failure – so be sure to speak to your physician regarding how much vitamin D would be suitable for you.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Accumulating enough vitamin D is vital to the wellbeing of bones, muscles and immune systems. Vitamin D also assists the body in absorbing calcium for strong bones – lacking it could result in conditions such as rickets in children or osteomalacia in adults. Other signs of vitamin D deficiency may include reduced immune system function and muscle weakness.

Sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D; however, too much sun exposure can damage skin and increase risk for cancer. Vitamin D can also be found naturally in certain foods like salmon, trout and tuna; egg yolks; fortified dairy products and mushrooms.

Some populations are at an increased risk for vitamin D deficiency due to diet, sun exposure or other factors. Infants fed exclusively breast milk which does not contain much vitamin D; older adults who cannot produce as much of it themselves; people with darker skin also produce less Vitamin D from sunlight due to melanin acting as an inert sunblock and blocking out some harmful rays from sunlight.

Chronic diseases or medical conditions that impact your digestive tract may interfere with your ability to absorb vitamin D from food and supplements, including cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease and celiac disease – or surgery (gastric bypass surgery) which removes part of the small intestine – which could reduce absorption. These conditions could include cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease and celiac disease as well as gastric bypass surgery (remove part of small intestine).

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in helping your immune system respond to infection, and if COVID-19 concerns are an issue for you, consult with your physician and consider taking vitamin D supplements (D3 (cholecalciferol) instead of D2 (ergocalciferol) since your body absorbs D3 more readily than D2). Work closely with healthcare provider to find an ideal dosage; vitamin D supplements come both as pills or liquid forms.

Vitamin D Supplements

Supplying your body with enough vitamin D through diet and sunlight is crucial to optimal bone health, immunity, and many other parts of its functions. In some instances, taking supplements may be required in order to reach ideal vitamin D levels.

Blood tests utilizing 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) can be used to assess vitamin D status. According to the Endocrine Society, serum 25(OH)D levels of 50nmol/L (20ng/mL) or greater should provide optimal bone and overall health benefits.

Studies of vitamin D supplementation for those with low 25(OH)D levels have produced mixed results. While in some instances a low-dose supplement significantly increased 25(OH)D levels, other studies reported no change or no significant increase. Furthermore, certain medications, including steroids, cholesterol-lowering agents, anticonvulsants and the weight loss drug orlistat (Xenical or Alli), may reduce vitamin D absorption from food or dietary supplements which could result in lower serum 25(OH)D levels than expected.

High serum 25(OH)D levels have been linked with lower cancer risks and could increase survival chances after diagnosis of certain cancer types. While these findings are preliminary in nature, larger clinical trials should be undertaken to verify this initial observation.

Low doses of vitamin D should be safe for most healthy adults; however, before taking any supplemental forms it is best to consult your physician as excessive levels can cause health issues, including nausea, vomiting, confusion, weakness, pain dehydration and excessive urination. Rarely kidney failure heart disease and death have also been reported from taking too much vitamin D supplements. Eating well-rounded meals based on research is the best way to obtain enough of this essential nutrient.