From the presence of vitamin D receptors in our cells and vitamin D factories in our epidermis, along with the central role vitamin D plays in calcium metabolism, immunity, and gene expression it’s pretty clear that having adequate vitamin D is an essential component of being a healthy, successful homo sapien. And yet, many health practitioners suggest that vitamin D deficiency is one of the biggest nutrient deficiencies in modern society.
Can we get Vitamin D from food?
Certain foods get touted as vitamin D powerhouses: wild salmon, mackerel, herring, catfish, cod liver oil, eggs. Eat these, but don’t expect to increase your Vitamin D levels much.
So how much is enough? Too much?
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin so technically a toxic level could be reached. However, this is essentially unheard of and would require hundreds or thousands of times the recommended dosage. A good general rule is 4000 IU per day (up to 10,000 IU is considered generally safe) supplemented. The amount of sun exposure necessary to produce 10,000 IU of D3 is about 20-30 minutes of afternoon sun for light skinned folks, more for those with dark or tanned skin.
What’s the best way to get enough vitamin D – via oral supplementation or sunlight?
Personally, I prefer getting my D3 from sunlight, simply because it’s enjoyable to spend time in the sun and it’s an effortless way to get something that’s critical to my health. But I don’t think it’s necessarily “better” than getting it through supplements.
So for strong bones and a healthy immune system, get out and get some sun or take a good Vitamin D supplement.
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