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Vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin” because it’s produced within the body when the sun hits the skin. But many people turn to supplements in chillier months of the year when cold and dark days limit time spent outdoors. Decreasing vitamin D levels isn’t just a winter issue. There are many reasons someone might not get enough vitamin D, including dysfunction of the kidneys, inadequate absorption of vitamin D from the digestive tract, milk allergy or lactose intolerance, or consuming an ovo-vegetarian or vegan diet. (3) According to the National Institutes of Health, true vitamin D deficiency is defined as less than 12 nanograms per milliliter (12 ng/mL). It can have serious consequences, such as conditions that weaken the bones like rickets and osteomalacia. Anything less than 20 ng/mL is considered inadequate for bone health and overall health. Analysis from 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data found that most Americans ages 1 and over had sufficient vitamin D intakes (20 to 50 ng/mL). However, 5 percent were at risk of deficiency, 18 percent were at risk of inadequacy, and 4 percent had vitamin D levels higher than what is considered safe (50 ng/mL). (3) Inadequate or deficient levels of vitamin D can be a problem because vitamin D can help the gut absorb calcium, which ultimately promotes strong and healthy bones. Vitamin D is also helpful in reducing inflammation and boosting immune function and cell growth. (3) How Much Vitamin D Should You Be Getting?Adults need 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D each day (800 IU if you’re over age 70), which can be sourced through sunlight, diet, or supplements. (3) Vitamin D2 — the plant-derived form of vitamin D — is naturally found in mushrooms, says Kerry Clifford, a registered dietitian who works for the National Dairy Council. “Food sources that contain vitamin D3 include fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel; fortified milk and other dairy products; fish liver oils; and egg yolk,” she adds. The NIH also lists fortified plant-based milks and fortified cereals. (3) Yet very few foods have enough vitamin D to reach recommended daily intakes, and sunshine can be unreliable in certain climates. Men and women relying on sourcing vitamin D through diet alone typically don’t exceed 288 IU a day on average. Even drinking an 8-ounce glass of milk will only get you 100 IU — one-sixth the amount that many adults need daily. (3) But when supplements are added, they get closer to the 600 IU goal. Consider this: Women between ages 51 and 70, who averaged 156 IU through the diet-only approach, reached 404 IU with the help of supplements. (3) The Latest Research on Vitamin D SupplementsVitamin D supplements have long been touted as important to bone health. The problem is that several studies have found that they don’t live up to the hype. Unless you are considered vitamin D deficient, have low bone mass, or have osteoporosis, vitamin D supplementation doesn’t result in a clinically meaningful decrease in fracture risk, according to a 2022 study of more than 25,000 participants. (4) Nor was vitamin D supplementation found to reduce the risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death in a randomized, controlled clinical trial involving more than 25,000 participants from 2019. (5) Yet researchers found that those who developed cancer had a 25 percent lower death rate when they were taking vitamin D. The findings also included a possible reduction in cancer risk for African Americans, which researchers wrote warrants further study. Meanwhile, though observational studies have suggested a link between low vitamin D levels and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, another randomized, controlled clinical trial published in 2019 did not support that conclusion. (6) Vitamin D3 supplementation at a dose of 4,000 IU per day did not result in a significantly lower risk of diabetes compared with a placebo. So the benefits of vitamin D supplementation are far from certain. In fact, authors of a 2014 review stated, “Firm, universal conclusions about its benefits cannot be drawn.” (7) Still, before you dispose of your supplements, speak with your doctor. Why Certain People May Need a Vitamin D SupplementWhy are some groups at greater risk of low vitamin D levels? In most cases, it can be traced back to their diet or lifestyle. Take vegans, for instance. Many have low vitamin D levels because they avoid foods that are rich in vitamin D — including meat, fish, egg yolks, and dairy products that have been fortified with the vitamin. One 2016 study found vitamin D serum concentration was 34 percent lower among study participants who followed a vegan diet compared with those who ate meat and dairy. (8) But there are ways to get added vitamin D into your diet as a vegan. For instance, plant milk beverages, such as those made from soy, oats, and almond, are often fortified with vitamin D to the level found in fortified cow’s milk (about 100 IU/cup), according to the National Institutes of Health. (3) Check the nutrition facts label for the actual amount. People with obesity also may need a supplement. Research has suggested the possible reasons for deficiency include a lower dietary intake of vitamin D among obese men compared with nonobese men and women, the possibility that obese people expose less skin to the sun (not due to poorer absorption alone), and a decrease in the absorption rate of vitamin D among people who’ve had bariatric or gastric bypass procedures. (9) Indeed, one study suggested recommendations for vitamin D targets should be based on body weight rather than simply suggesting 600 IU for everyone across the board. (10) As for older people, they’re at risk because they’re more likely to spend time indoors but also because the process of synthesizing vitamin D from food or sunshine becomes less efficient as people age, according to past research. (11) How to Know if You’re Getting Too Much or Not Enough Vitamin DConcerned your levels of vitamin D are too low? The best way to know for sure is by asking your doctor, who may do blood work to assess your vitamin D levels. Choosing the Best Vitamin D Supplement for Your HealthIf you choose to go the supplement route, Clifford recommends taking around 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) per day. “Vitamin D3 is the form that is already stored in the body, so some studies have found it to be more effective,” Clifford says. “Also, take vitamin D with a healthy fat, such as sliced avocado, because it is a fat-soluble vitamin that requires fat to be absorbed.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t oversee supplements, so it can be tough to know if you’re buying a good one. Some research has found the potency of supplements varies greatly among brands. (13) The supplements tested in the aforementioned research had between 9 and 146 percent of the expected dose. The researchers found supplements from a USP-verified bottle were the most accurate and least variable, so when you’re looking for a supplement, be on the lookout for the USP mark. Meghan Sedivy, RD, of Fresh Thyme Farmers Market in the Chicago area, recommends:
Since D3 sometimes comes from animal sources, vegans should opt for vitamin D2 or a D3 supplement marked as vegan, such as Vitashine Vegan D3 Supplement. What to Know About Vitamin D Toxicity, or Overdosing on Vitamin DWhen it comes to vitamin D, more isn’t always better. Since the vitamin is fat soluble, it’s stored inside the body and can be harmful if your levels get too high. “Too much vitamin D can cause vitamin D toxicity or hypervitaminosis D,” Clifford says. (3) You don’t have to worry about overdosing if you rely on your diet and sunlight to reach 600 IU a day. It’s once supplements get added that it becomes a concern. “It’s more common with mega doses of supplements taken over a long period of time — usually doses above 10,000 IU per day,” Clifford says. Ideally, you never want to exceed 4,000 IU per day, Clifford says. (3) It gets more serious when you end up with excess calcium absorption, or hypercalcemia, which puts your heart, kidneys, and blood vessels at risk. (3) Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity include: (3)
If you experience any of these symptoms and are concerned that you have vitamin D toxicity, call your doctor immediately. Additional reporting by Moira Lawler. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking
What vitamin D should a woman take?A: The upper tolerable limit is 4,000 international units (IU) daily, and the recommended amount for women 14 to 70 is 600 IU per day. Women 71 and older should aim for 800 IU per day.
What is the best form of vitamin D to take?A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of vitamin D2 and D3 supplements on blood levels found that D3 supplements tended to raise blood concentrations of the vitamin more and sustained those levels longer than D2. [76,77] Some experts cite vitamin D3 as the preferred form as it is ...
When should a woman start taking vitamin D?Advice for adults and children over 4 years old
But since it's difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.
What is the difference between D vitamin D and vitamin D3?There are quite a few differences between vitamin D and vitamin D3, but the main difference between them is that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that regulates calcium and phosphorous levels in the body, whereas the vitamin D3 is the natural form of vitamin D produced by the body from sunlight.
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Best vitamin d supplements for womens health
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