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How Much Vitamin D You Need

What Kind Of Vitamin D Supplement Should I Take

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

There are two different types of vitamin D. Vitamin D2 mainly comes from plant-based foods like UV grown mushrooms, or fortified foods and dietary supplements. Vitamin D3 comes from animals and supplements. Youll get D3 from fish oil, butter, liver, and egg yolks.

Vitamin D is available in supplemental form as a liquid, tablet, or capsule. Some doctors will even give vitamin D injections. D2 typically requires a prescription to get, and D3 is commonly available for purchase over-the-counter. There is some debate about whether D2 is stronger than D3 seeking medical advice is the best way to make sure you get the right form and dosage that you need.

The best form of vitamin D to take as a supplement is D3 although, D2 is acceptable, says Tod Cooperman, MD, founder of ConsumerLab. D3 is less likely to result in errors on blood tests, and high doses may raise levels better. In terms of formulations, liquids and pills are generally both fine . My preference is liquid drops, as you can easily adjust the dose. Plus, you can put it right on food or in a beverage, which should remind you that vitamin D, which is fat-soluble, should be taken with foods that contain fats to improve absorption.

Is It Best To Get Your Vitamin D From The Sun Definitely Not

David J. Leffell, MD, Yale Medicine dermatologist and chief of Dermatologic Surgery

One of the biggest challenges weve faced in dermatology and in the world of skin cancer prevention has been a lot of misinformation about vitamin D metabolism.

There are claims that one needs to get a certain amount of sun exposure every day in order to produce enough vitamin D to be healthy. Its just not true. The majority of people can get their vitamin D from nutritional supplements and from vitamin D-fortified foods.

There are some people who have advocated for tanning to get vitamin D. But we know that UVB light causes skin cancer and that protecting yourself against it makes sense. As a doctor who treats patients who have melanomas, I want the general public to be advised that under no circumstances can use of a tanning bed or tanning in general be justified on the basis of vitamin D. Take a supplement instead.

Why Do I Need Vitamin D And How Do I Get It

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. Vitamin D also has a role in your nervous, muscle, and immune systems.

You can get vitamin D in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight. But too much sun exposure can lead to skin aging and skin cancer, so many people try to get their vitamin D from other sources.

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Why Is Vitamin D Important

Vitamin D is important for bones, muscles and teeth. This is because it helps you absorb calcium and phosphorous from food.

A deficiency can cause weakened bones this can lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

Vitamin D also plays an important role in keeping your immune system functioning properly. This is especially important over the winter when there are more colds and bugs going around.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Vitamin D Deficiency

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

Severe lack of vitamin D causes rickets, which shows up in children as incorrect growth patterns, weakness in muscles, pain in bones and deformities in joints. This is very rare. However, children who are deficient in vitamin D can also have muscle weakness or sore and painful muscles.

Lack of vitamin D is not quite as obvious in adults. Signs and symptoms might include:

  • Fatigue.

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What Happens If I Take Too Much Vitamin D

Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body . This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.

If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10 micrograms a day will be enough for most people.

Do not take more than 100 micrograms of vitamin D a day as it could be harmful. This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 to 17 years.

Children aged 1 to 10 years should not have more than 50 micrograms a day. Infants under 12 months should not have more than 25 micrograms a day.

Some people have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to safely take as much. If in doubt, you should consult your doctor.

If your doctor has recommended you take a different amount of vitamin D, you should follow their advice.

You cannot overdose on vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. But always remember to cover up or protect your skin if you’re out in the sun for long periods to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.

Page last reviewed: 03 August 2020 Next review due: 03 August 2023

Vitamin D And Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which the body does not use insulin properly and blood sugar levels can rise above normal. Researchers are looking into whether vitamin D can help regulate blood sugar levels. In addition, vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium, and calcium helps manage sugar in the blood. Studies have found people with vitamin D deficiency have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, but the link is not conclusive. More research is needed to determine if vitamin D supplementation can help people with type 2 diabetes.

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Vitamin D Boosts Bone Health

Your body needs vitamin D to help absorb the calcium and phosphorus in your diet that makes for strong bones. Vitamin D deficiency can cause bone loss, low bone density, and increase your chances of breaking bones. Vitamin D deficiency can also cause rickets in children and a condition called osteomalacia in adults. Symptoms may include weakness and bone pain.

People Most At Risk Of Vitamin D Deficiency

How much Vitamin D do you need in one day

Some people dont have enough vitamin D. This could be because their skin isnt exposed to enough sunlight, or because of health problems or higher needs for vitamin D.

For example, if:

  • you dont go outdoors often, for example if you are housebound, in hospital or are disabled and less able to get about
  • you wear clothes which cover most of your skin when you go outside
  • you have dark skin, for example if youre from an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background as you need more sunlight to make enough vitamin D
  • you wear sunscreen most or all of the time
  • you need more vitamin D, babies, young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women need more vitamin D
  • you are an older adult, as older people cant make as much vitamin D
  • you have a health problem or youre taking certain medications which change the way vitamin D is controlled in the body, such as Crohns disease, coeliac disease, and some types of liver and kidney disease.
  • you are very overweight, a there is some evidence to suggest that people who are very over weight are more likely to lack vitamin D
  • you eat very few foods that contain vitamin D.

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Can You Take Too Much Vitamin D

Unlike some vitamins, it is possible to take too much vitamin D.

Vitamin D toxicity is a dangerous condition that is more likely if you take high-dose vitamin D supplements over a long period of time.

Toxicity is unlikely if you take less than 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day, but cases have been reported in adults taking doses ranging from 50,000 to 60,000,000 IU per day over the course of multiple weeks. Most of these cases were due to supplement doses being improperly labeled.

Since vitamin D increases calcium absorption, an excess amount can lead to hypercalcemia a rare condition where calcium levels in the blood are above normal, says David Buchin, MD, Director of Bariatric Surgery at Northwell Health-Huntington Hospital.

Signs of hypercalcemia include:

Symptoms Of Vitamin D Deficiency

It’s not easy to spot a vitamin D deficiency. Some people might feel tired or get aches and pains.

But others may not have any symptoms until it’s too late, for example bowed legs or poor growth in children.

Your doctor can carry out a blood test to check your levels, but if you’re worried about your exposure to the sun or it’s winter you should start taking a supplement.

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How Much Vitamin D Do I Need

In November 2010, the Institute of Medicine’s expert committee set a new “dietary reference intake” for vitamin D.

Assuming that a person gets virtually no vitamin D from sunshine — and that this person gets adequate amounts of calcium — the IOM committee recommends getting the following amounts of vitamin D from diet or supplements :

  • Infants age 0 to 6 months: adequate intake, 400 IU/day maximum safe upper level of intake, 1,000 IU/day
  • Infants age 6 to 12 months: adequate intake, 400 IU/day maximum safe upper level of intake, 1,500 IU/day
  • Age 1-3 years: adequate intake, 600 IU/day maximum safe upper level of intake, 2,500 IU/day
  • Age 4-8 years: adequate intake, 600 IU/day maximum safe upper level of intake, 3,000 IU/day
  • Age 9-70: adequate intake, 600 IU/day maximum safe upper level of intake, 4,000 IU/day
  • Age 71+ years: adequate intake, 800 IU/day maximum safe upper level of intake, 4,000 IU/day

That’s not enough, says Boston University vitamin D expert Michael Holick, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics, Boston University Medical Center. Holick recommends a dose of 1,000 IU a day of vitamin D for both infants and adults — unless they’re getting plenty of safe sun exposure.

In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that breastfed infants receive 400 IU of vitamin D every day until they are weaned. This doubled the AAP’s previous recommendation.

What Other Factors Can Lead To Vitamin D Deficiency

Best Vitamin D Supplements in the UK 2019 (April) Review
  • Age: The skin’s ability to make vitamin D lessens with age.
  • Mobility: People who are homebound or are rarely outside are not able to use sun exposure as a source of vitamin D.
  • Skin color: Dark-colored skin is less able to make vitamin D than fair-colored skin.
  • Human breast milk: A woman’s breast milk only contains a small amount of vitamin D. Often infant formulas also only include a small amount of D also. Therefore infants are at risk of not receiving enough vitamin D. This is especially true for infants who are only fed breast milk.

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Skin Color May Affect Vitamin D Production

The color of your skin is determined by a pigment called melanin.

People with darker skin typically have more melanin than people with lighter skin. Whats more, their melanin pigments are also larger and darker .

Melanin helps protect the skin against damage from excess sunlight. It acts as a natural sunscreen and absorbs the suns UV rays to defend against sunburn and skin cancers .

However, that creates a big dilemma because darker-skinned people need to spend longer in the sun than lighter-skinned people to produce the same amount of vitamin D.

Studies estimate that darker-skinned people may need anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours longer to get sufficient vitamin D, compared to lighter-skinned people. This is a major reason why darker-skinned people have a higher risk of deficiency .

For that reason, if you have dark skin, you may need to spend a bit more time in the sun to get your daily dose of vitamin D.

Summary

Darker-skinned people have more melanin, a compound that protects against skin damage by reducing the amount of UVB light absorbed. Darker-skinned people need more time in sunlight to make the same amount of vitamin D as lighter-skinned people.

Our Bodies Need Vitamin D For Healthy Bones

Vitamin d is important for maintaining a healthy body, primarily because it helps you fully maximize your body’s absorption and utilization of calcium, an important mineral that we all need. Our bodies need vitamin d for healthy bones. American lung association’s lung force unites women and their loved ones across the country to stand together for lung health and against lung cancer. No nonsense accurate health advice from good housekeeping’s team of health writers and professionals. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. And some studies suggest it may be linked with lower colorectal cancer risk. When paired with calcium, vitamin d helps regulat. The shocking facts about vitamin d. Product approval information is indicated for the treatment of primary immunodeficiency associated with defects in humoral immunity, in adults and children two years and older. American lung association’s lung force unites women and their loved ones across the country to stand together for lung health and against lung cancer. Find out how much vitamin d you need and how to get it safely. American lung association’s lung force unites women and their loved ones across the country to stand together for lung health and against lung cancer. American lung association’s lung force unites women and their loved ones across the country to stand together for lung health and against lung cancer.

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How Much Vitamin D And Calcium Do You Need

The Endocrine Society and The Institute of Medicine have suggested recommended daily allowances for vitamin D and calcium, as well as maximum daily consumption amounts that you should not exceed for your safety:

4,000

The recommendations come with two precautions:

  • Some people may need more than the RDA if they are:

  • Obese

  • Taking anticonvulsant medications, glucocorticoids, antifungals such as ketoconazole or medications for AIDS

  • Taking too much of either nutrient appears to be harmful, with:

  • Kidney stones associated with too much calcium from supplements

  • Very high levels of vitamin D potentially causing kidney and tissue damage

Getting Enough Vitamin D To Support Copd And Osteoporosis Patients

Mayo Clinic Minute: How much vitamin D do you need?

Vitamin D is an important part of everyones diet, and if you arent getting enough vitamin D or if your body is not processing it correctly, you might notice the negative impacts this can have on your health. If you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, getting the right vitamins and minerals can be the difference between a good day and a horrible day, or a day spent at home or a day spent in the hospital.

What we put in our bodies matters, and how our bodies process those things we ingest also plays a critical role in the way our body as a system performs. If you do not get enough, too much, or your body cannot absorb things correctly, things get worse.

It might not be common knowledge that what we put into our stomachs actually affects our lungs, but it does.

People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease also known as COPD, need plenty of vitamin D to encourage healthy bones and muscles and encourage a healthy immune system all of which contributes to a healthy lifestyle even with a chronic disease.

If you have COPD read this blog to learn about the benefits of eating food with plenty of vitamin D and when and why you should take vitamin D supplements, and when and why you should not.

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The Benefits Are Overwhelming: Get Enough Vitamin D

We need vitamin D because its important for strong bones, muscles, teeth, and general health such as proper immune system function. This is especially crucial during a time of pandemic.

According to the open letter of 100 scientists, doctors, & leading authorities scientific evidence indicates that increased vitamin D intake would help reduce Covid infections, hospitalizations, and deaths.

The main sources of vitamin D are natural sunlight, certain foods (especially fish liver oil but also fatty fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines, tuna, beef liver, some mushrooms, or egg yolks, and dietary supplements.

The recommended daily dose is between 4000 IU 5000 IU of vitamin D. If you cannot get this amount via sun exposure or foods, consuming vitamin D supplements is a viable, convenient, cheap and safe option.

As part of my partnership with GoPrimal I am offering one of the highest quality vitamin D supplements on the market. GoPrimals vitamin D is sourced from sheep wool. It is blended with organic coconut oil to improve absorption. It is naturally sourced and absolutely clear of any artificials or colorants.

The fundamental idea of my 4 Legs Fitness concept is that you need to have a balanced approach to achieve superior health and fitness. Getting enough vitamin D is related to the right nutrition and is only one of the four areas that need to be considered. The others are strength, endurance and recovery.

What Causes Vitamin D Toxicity

Vitamin D toxicity is almost always the result of excess supplementation. Because your body regulates vitamin D production, you are unlikely to develop it as a result of sun exposure . Foods generally do not contain large amounts of vitamin D, so getting an excessive amount in your diet is unlikely.

People may begin taking vitamin D supplements in order to address a deficiency or to help relieve symptoms of things like seasonal affective disorder or depression. The problem is that they may go overboard or think that taking more will produce more beneficial effects.

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