Vitamin D is the superwoman of the supplement world, and its benefits are often talked about. This vitamin can do it all, with potential benefits ranging from strengthening bones to supporting the immune system and possibly even helping fight dementia. But how much of it is true?
Content What's the benefit: Vitamin D supports bone strength and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis What's the benefit: Vitamin D can help your mood What's the benefit: Vitamin D fights inflammation in the body What's the benefit: Vitamin D helps support the immune system What's the benefit: Vitamin D can help prevent cognitive decline How to know if you have a vitamin D deficiency The best foods to eat to get more vitamin D How much vitamin D should you consume daily Can you consume too much vitamin D: Vitamin deficiencies
WomanEL suggests finding out the opinions of experts so that you can decide for yourself whether you need to buy supplements with it at all.
What it does: Vitamin D supports bone strength and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphate, which helps build and strengthen bones, says Jessica Cording, a registered dietitian. Not getting enough vitamin D can also make your bones thin and brittle, adds Dr. Arashdeep K. Litt. Litt. “Together with calcium, vitamin D helps protect older adults from osteoporosis,” she adds. This is especially helpful for postmenopausal women.
What's the benefit: Vitamin D can help your mood
“Vitamin D has been linked to maintaining stable mood,” says Cording. A 2020 meta-analysis of more than 7,500 people with depression found that those who took vitamin D supplements had better mood than those who didn’t.
What is the benefit: vitamin D fights inflammation in the body
“Vitamin D reduces inflammation, and inflammation is a common thread in most chronic diseases,” says registered dietitian Sonia Angelone. Some research suggests that low vitamin D levels may be linked to an increased risk of heart disease, but more research is needed, according to a 2023 study by Cureus.
What is the benefit: Vitamin D helps support the immune system
Vitamin D is practically the main character when it comes to regulating the immune system, according to a 2023 study in the journal Experimental and Molecular Pathology. “Those who are deficient in vitamin D are at increased risk for infections, such as acute respiratory infections,” says Marissa Karp, a registered dietitian. Vitamin D deficiency can also increase the risk of autoimmune diseases.
What's the benefit: Vitamin D may help prevent cognitive decline
“Vitamin D is a neuroprotector and actually reduces inflammation in the brain,” says Karp. So when you have enough vitamin D in your body, your risk of age-related cognitive decline, such as dementia, may be reduced. The Alzheimer's & Dementia Diagnosis, Assessment, & Disease Monitoring in 2023 study, conducted in 2023 among 12,388 people without dementia, found that vitamin D intake was associated with lower rates of dementia.
How to know if you have a vitamin D deficiency
Some people with vitamin D deficiency may be asymptomatic, especially if your levels are not mildly low. But others may experience these signs of deficiency:
- Fatigue;
- Pain in muscles or bones;
- Frequent illnesses;
- Hair loss;
- Mood swings;
- Bone growth disorders (in children);
- Muscle spasms.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets, a condition in which bones do not mineralize properly, becoming soft and causing skeletal deformities. It can also lead to osteomalacia, a condition in which bones become weak.
The only way to know what your vitamin D levels are is to get a blood test, and doctors typically only prescribe it to high-risk patients, including those who may be malnourished due to gastrointestinal disease, women who have gone through menopause, and women who don't have ovaries.
The best foods to eat to get more vitamin D
This vitamin is naturally found in some foods and is added to certain products, Source: vecteezy.com
While most people get vitamin D from sunlight, you can also get it from some foods. Here is a list of the main foods:
- Cod liver oil;
- Trout;
- Salmon;
- Tuna;
- Liver;
- Sardines;
- Mushrooms;
- Enriched two percent milk;
- Enriched cereals;
- Egg yolks;
- Cheddar cheese.
How much vitamin D should you consume daily?
Vitamin D needs vary by gender and age, but according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, most adult women need between 14 and 70 micrograms, or 600 IU, of vitamin D per day. This number remains the same during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Okay, so what about the vitamin D you get from the sun? That's a tricky one to calculate. If you're fair-skinned and go out in the sun for 10 minutes without sunscreen in just shorts and a T-shirt, your body will produce 10,000 IU of vitamin D.
By the way, using sunscreen only “minimally reduces” the absorption of vitamin D into the skin (although more research is needed to confirm this fact), according to a 2023 study in the journal Cureus. So be sure to slather on sunscreen before going outside.
In general, it's best to try to get 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight a day and eat foods rich in vitamin D, such as fatty fish and moderate amounts of fortified, low-fat dairy products.
It's possible to consume too much vitamin D: vitamin deficiencies
If you take too much vitamin D—usually from taking too high a dose of a supplement rather than from food—you can develop hypercalcemia, or high levels of calcium in your blood. Too much vitamin D can lead to:
- Nausea;
- Vomit;
- Muscle weakness;
- Frequent urination;
- Excessive thirst;
- Dehydration;
- Electrolyte imbalance;
- Bone pain;
- Kidney problems/stone disease.
The maximum daily dose is 4,000 units. But before adding vitamin D to your diet, talk to your doctor at your annual checkup and check your current vitamin D levels—you may not need it. And if you're taking any other medications, ask your doctor about whether they affect your vitamin D absorption.
Overall, vitamin D can be a rock star when used properly. If you're interested in this, be sure to consult your doctor, then enjoy all its benefits and don't forget to enjoy sunny days outside.
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