How much vitamin D should you take to promote optimal health? *

Now that we’ve sorted that out, 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 supplement contains vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), which is significantly more effective (up to 87% more, to be exact) at increasing and maintaining vitamin levels. D in the body than vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). *

From this, research has shown that supplementing 1000 IU of vitamin D3 increases the average serum D level in adults by about 10 ng / ml, which means that 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 is required. vitamin D3 per day to raise your level to that 50 ng / ml goal. *

In some cases of severe deficiency, however, it may take up to 10,000 IU (or more) of vitamin D3 per day to reach the mark, * says Henderson. Heck, according to Crouch, even a few months at 50,000 IU per week may be needed to correct a major deficiency. *

Another special circumstance to consider here: overweight or obese adults need vitamin D two to three times higher than those of normal weight. really get the right amount of the nutrients you need to feel better. *

Once you’ve determined your optimal amount of the supplement, note that its “packaging” is also crucial in determining how much vitamin D your body actually absorbs. “Vitamin D is fat soluble and therefore better absorbed when administered in an oily package,” Henderson told mbg. “So we generally recommend forms of vitamin D3 which are more highly bioavailable, which means they are packed with oils or fats. * If your supplement isn’t formulated with healthy fats (like the trio of organic oils you’ll find in mbg’s Vitamin D3 + Power), be sure to take it with a meal that contains healthy fats. , such as avocado, olive oil and / or nuts and seeds.