How To Get Vitamin D: Sunshine, Diet, Supplement & Red Light Therapy
Adequate Vitamin D levels are essential for healthy bones, muscles, and minds, but a startling percent of the population is deficient.
If you’ve taken a blood test and found you’re low in Vitamin D (meaning you have blood levels lower than 30 ng/mL), you probably want to know how to get Vitamin D quickly and easily. Fortunately, there are several ways to get your Vitamin D levels up to where they need to be!
What Has Vitamin D?
Adults ages 19-70 need 15 mcg of Vitamin D a day, while seniors over 70 need 20 mcg. You can get your recommended daily amount from several different sources.
Sunlight
First up, we have sunlight! While the light itself obviously doesn’t contain Vitamin D, sunlight helps our bodies produce Vitamin D. The radiation type contained in sunlight interacts with a chemical in our skin, converting it to Vitamin D.
The pros of sunlight are that it’s accessible and free, and you can’t accidentally get too much Vitamin D this way.
The cons are that many different factors can prevent you from getting the recommended dosage (weather, clothing, climate), and too much sunlight can have negative effects.
Food (Real Food!)
Another way you can get Vitamin D is through dietary means. Several foods are high in Vitamin D naturally, and others are fortified with it. The pros are that you can incorporate them into your diet relatively easily, and consuming too much Vitamin D this way is difficult. The con is that getting as much as you need from food is hard since levels can vary, and even fortified food doesn’t contain much Vitamin D.
Supplements
Supplementation is probably the most effective way to get enough Vitamin D. Supplements are an affordable and consistent way to hit your targets.
The pros of supplements are that you know you’re getting enough and that it’s an easy lifestyle change. The cons are that it’s much easier to overdose on Vitamin D through supplements, and vitamins aren’t regulated by the FDA. Don’t take a daily dose of Vitamin D that’s higher than 100 mcg, and get your vitamins from a reputable source.
What Foods Are High in Vitamin D?
This is a list of foods that provide at least 5% of your daily value of Vitamin D.
- Cod liver oil
- Rainbow trout
- Sockeye salmon
- White mushrooms (that have been exposed to UV light)
- 2% fortified milk
- Soy, almond, and oat fortified milks
- Certain fortified cereals
- Canned sardines
- Scrambled egg
- Beef liver
- Canned tuna fish
To get it all in one go, take a tablespoon of cod liver oil, which provides 170 percent DV.
If you want something more exact, the Office of Dietary Supplements at the NIH has a chart that breaks down the foods with the highest quantities of Vitamin D.
How To Increase Vitamin D Levels Quickly
The best ways to ensure your Vitamin D levels stay at the right level are gradual lifestyle changes and/or regular supplement use. However, these strategies can produce results within a week, though it will likely take longer to reach ideal levels.
- Thirty-minute walk in direct sunlight
- Taking Vitamin D3 supplements
- Switching your diet to one high in D Vitamins
- Using red light therapy, a promising alternative to sunlight
Getting Vitamin D Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
Maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is crucial for overall health. To ensure you get enough of this essential nutrient, combine sunlight exposure, dietary sources, and supplements. Also, consider red light therapy, which can be done from the convenience of home.
Always consult with a healthcare professional if you have concerns about your vitamin D levels or need personalized advice on the best approach.
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