How Much Vitamin D Should You Take To Promote Optimal Health?*

Now that we've got that out of the way, you're probably wondering how much vitamin D you should be taking in supplement form.

Before you even worry about the dose, make sure your dietary supplement contains vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is significantly more effective at increasing and maintaining vitamin D levels in the body (up to 87% more, to be precise his) is called Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol). . *

From there, research has shown that supplementing with 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 increases an adult's average serum D level by about 10 ng / ml, which means 5,000 IU is needed. Vitamin D3 per day to bring your levels to that goal of 50 ng / ml. *

However, in some cases of significant deficiency, it can take up to 10,000 IU. (or higher) of vitamin D3 daily to hit that mark, * says Henderson. Hell, according to Crouch, even a couple of months at 50,000 I.U. per week may be required to correct a major deficiency. *

Another special factor to consider here: adults who are overweight or obese have two to three times higher vitamin D requirements than those of normal weight. Really get the amount of nutrients you need to feel optimal. *

Once you've determined your optimal amount of supplements, keep in mind that "packaging" is also crucial in how much vitamin D your body actually absorbs. "Vitamin D is fat-soluble and is therefore better absorbed when given in a fat pack," * Henderson told mbg. “We therefore usually recommend forms of vitamin D3 that have a higher bioavailability, i. that is, they are packaged together with oils or fats. "* If your dietary supplement is not formulated with healthy fats (like the organic trio of oils found in the vitamin D3 potency + from mbg), make sure that you take it with a meal that contains healthy fats such as avocado, olive oil, and / or nuts and seeds.