How to Get the Benefits of Vitamin D3 Now that you know what vitamin D3 does and why it’s important, how do you make sure you’re getting enough? There are several ways to get more of this important nutrient in your diet, ranging from supplements to food sources and more.
Learn about them all here! Side Effects of Vitamin D3 Vitamin D3 has been found to have few negative side effects, but be sure to check with your doctor if you have any preexisting conditions or take other medications before using any supplement or dietary change. You can also read about potential side effects here.
What Is Vitamin D3?
People who are deficient in vitamin D may experience a number of health problems, including osteoporosis and high blood pressure. For these reasons, it’s important to maintain a healthy level of vitamin D in your body by eating foods that contain it or taking supplements. The benefits that you’ll see from getting enough vitamin D are wide-ranging, but they don’t include weight loss or cure colds. If you’re looking for a way to get more benefits from your supplement regimen, talk with your doctor about whether you should be taking vitamin K as well.
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
If you have any vitamin D deficiency symptoms, you’re not alone—40% of American adults suffer from some degree of deficiency. However, most people are unaware that there are many ways to boost your vitamin D levels naturally through diet and exercise. For example, a study in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology found that supplementing with 1000 IU per day increased vitamin D blood levels by 90%. And while summer months provide plenty of opportunities for sun exposure (which is one way to boost vitamin D), a study in Annals of Epidemiology found that only 20% of Americans get enough sun exposure. The easiest way? Supplementing with about 10,000 IU per day should do it!
The Benefits of Vitamin D3
To get your daily dose of vitamin D, try to eat more fish, like salmon and tuna, drink milk or orange juice fortified with vitamin D, and spend more time outside in sunlight (exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D production in our bodies). It’s hard for most people to consume enough vitamin D from food alone. To figure out how much you need in a day, ask your doctor about taking a blood test called 25-hydroxyvitamin-D. And keep in mind that because it’s fat-soluble (meaning your body stores it), high doses may lead to unpleasant side effects like diarrhoea or constipation. Still, need convincing? Here are some other benefits linked with high levels of vitamin D
Side Effects Of Vitamin D Supplementation
It’s a good idea to speak with your doctor about side effects, especially if you are going above your recommended daily dosage. Many people take high doses without seeing any negative effects, however. If you do see side effects, talk with your doctor about lowering your dose or trying a different supplement that contains vitamin d3. He or she may recommend other supplements for proper nutrition or refer you to a specialist for evaluation. You may also want to consider consulting a dietician about how much calcium and other nutrients you should be taking along with vitamin d3 supplements.
Foods That Contain Vitamin D
The best way to get vitamin D is through sun exposure, but most people don’t spend enough time outside. (The NIH recommends at least 15 minutes a day.) You can also get vitamin D from fatty fish like salmon and tuna, fortified milk and cereals, and even certain kinds of mushrooms—but foods that contain vitamin D aren’t a great way to get it.
Although fish has some positive benefits for your health, fatty fish like salmon are also full of unhealthy fats that raise cholesterol levels. In addition, if you eat too much-processed food or fast food regularly (which is often fried in partially hydrogenated oils), then you’re missing out on nutrients in whole foods and increasing your risk for disease.
How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?
For vitamin D3 benefits, you need at least 600 IU daily. If you live in a cold climate and never go outside, your doctor might recommend even more—1,000 or 2,000 IU. While too much vitamin D is possible (and rare), there are no documented side effects of high doses; just don’t take more than your doctor recommends.
What Is Better Than A Vitamin D Supplement?
While it’s ok to take a vitamin D supplement, there are tons of other benefits to taking it from a natural source. Natural sources of vitamin D include foods like salmon and cod liver oil. You can also add more fish and olive oil to your diet, remembering that it’s always important to keep yourself hydrated when your beverage intake exceeds plain water. Because cod liver oil is high in fat, it’s best to replace any fat you remove from your diet elsewhere to maintain a balanced diet.
The bottom line
There are many potential benefits from Vitamin D. It may help reduce the risk of diseases, increase mood, and lessen depression symptoms, as well as help with weight management.
For optimal health, it is tough to get enough vitamin D from your diet alone, so you may want to ask a medical professional for a blood test and to consider taking a vitamin D supplement.
