Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin you’ve probably heard a lot about for its immunity-boosting properties and importance for bone health. In recent years, research determined that many folks may not be getting enough vitamin D through food, so supplementation can be a great solution. Not sure why you need vitamin D or a supplement? A dietitian explains the benefits of vitamin D and shares some of the best vitamin D supplements on the market.

What Does Vitamin D Do?

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that helps your body absorb calcium, which helps keep your bones strong. Calcium and vitamin D work together to help prevent osteoporosis, a disease which weakens your bones and makes more prone to breaks. Vitamin D is also necessary for proper nerve and immune function.

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

The amount of vitamin D needed depends on your age. Below are the recommendations for adults listed in international units (IU):

• Adults 19-70 years: 15 mcg (600 IU)
• Adults 71 years and older: 20 mcg (800 IU)
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 15 mcg (600 IU)

Although many folks have low levels of vitamin D, it is possible to consume too much via excessive supplementation, which could lead to vitamin D toxicity. Signs of vitamin D toxicity include nausea, vomiting, confusion, pain, excessive urination and thirst, and kidney stones. If you have extremely high levels of vitamin D in your blood it can lead to kidney failure, irregular heartbeat and, in extreme cases, death.

Should You Take a Vitamin D Supplement?

A simple blood test can determine if you’re getting enough vitamin D. If you have low vitamin D levels, your doctor may prescribe a higher dose vitamin D supplement to get your levels up.

You can find vitamin D in multivitamin and multimineral supplements. Vitamin D is also available as a dietary supplement either alone or combined with a few other nutrients like calcium or omega-3 fats. You can find vitamin D supplements as D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Both forms increase vitamin D levels in your blood, but D3 may help increase vitamin D in the blood for longer compared to D2. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and is best absorbed when taken with a meal or snack containing fat like avocado toast.

Below are four vitamin D supplements to try:

What Foods Contain Vitamin D?

Few foods naturally provide vitamin D. Fatty fish like salmon and tuna and fish liver oil is one of the best sources of vitamin D. Beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese also have small amounts. Mushrooms exposed to UV light have vitamin D as well. Most often, though, you’ll find foods fortified with vitamin D.

• Milk is fortified with vitamin D, which makes sense as milk contains calcium (remember, vitamin D works together with calcium to keep bones healthy).
• Many plant-based beverages like nut milks and orange juice also have vitamin D added.
• Vitamin D is also fortified in many breakfast cereals, yogurt, and other foods. Check the nutrition facts panel to see how much vitamin D has been added.

You can also generate some vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun. There are some barriers to getting vitamin D in this manner including environmental pollutants like smog, old age, and skin color (darker skin tones get less vitamin D from the sun). It’s also important to limit your time in the sun without sunscreen due to skin cancer risk.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

*This article was written and/or reviewed by an independent registered dietitian nutritionist.

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