Did you know that more than one billion people worldwide suffer from vitamin D deficiency 1?
Considering how simple it is to keep your levels up, that's a pretty staggering number. But also considering the importance of vitamin D and what it does for the body, the deficiency shouldn't be taken with a grain of salt.
Whether it's environmental factors that interfere with production, lack of sun exposure, or poor diet, there are any number of reasons why vitamin D levels may be low. But it's up to you to keep them elevated!
We're talking about the best ways to increase your vitamin D levels so you can avoid deficiency and all the nasty side effects that go along with it.
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Why Vitamin D Is Important
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that functions more like a hormone and plays an essential role in maintaining bone health through its role in calcium absorption and bone mineralization, but it's also important for immune function, digestion, the circulatory system, mood, muscle function, and the nervous system 1.
There's a growing body of research suggesting that low vitamin D levels are linked to conditions like depression, diabetes, and heart disease. But the association between vitamin D and these diseases still isn't completely understood.
How Much Do You Need?
If you're looking for an exact number on how much vitamin D is enough, it's going to be a tough one. There's a lot of debate about what the right amount is.
The US Institute of Medicine recommendation and the RDA for vitamin D is 600-800IU daily, which may be too low to maintain adequate serum levels 2. Other sources recommend 1,500-2,000IU daily, but no more than 4,000IU to avoid potentially toxic levels 3.
How To Boost Your Levels Of Vitamin D Fast
If you're looking to increase your vitamin D levels quickly, here are some of the best ways to do it:
1. Get In The Sun
There's a reason it's called the sunshine vitamin—the sun is your best source, and if you're looking to boost your vitamin D levels ASAP, getting outside is the way to do that.
And while people tell you that going in the sun is bad for your skin and you should always wear sunblock, you're drastically reducing your skin's ability to synthesize vitamin D when you listen to conventional wisdom.
For maximum vitamin D synthesis, 15-30 minutes daily from 10 am-2 pm with minimal clothing and no sunblock is the most effective way to increase levels. But unlike supplemental vitamin D, toxic vitamin D levels do not occur from prolonged sun exposure 4.
However, be mindful that various factors still affect skin synthesis of vitamin D including season, skin pigmentation, latitude, sunscreen use, clothing, and the amount of skin exposed 4.
For people with darker skin, longer exposure is needed, along with people residing further away from the equator (weaker sun = more time needed).
And if you don't have access to the sun due to seasonal changes, clouds, or whatever else have you, there are a few more options for increasing vitamin D levels.
2. Load Up On Vitamin D-rich Foods
Cold-water fatty fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are all great sources of vitamin D. A 3oz. (85g) portion of wild salmon provides 383IU of vitamin D, while the same size portion of mackerel provides 547IU.
But if you want a quick way that offers a huge bang for its buck, cod liver oil is that. Per one tablespoon, it provides a whopping 1360IU of vitamin D—nearly 3x that of any other food source.
For a list of more foods containing vitamin D, you can check out this post.
3. Take A Multi + Vitamin D
If you're looking to safeguard yourself against any nutrient deficiencies, a multivitamin is a perfect way to do that.
Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi contains 17+ essential vitamins and minerals—including 125% of the RDA for vitamin D—designed to support overall health and hormonal balance. It's also complexed with natural cofactors that enhance nutrient bioavailability and health-supportive activity.
A full serving of this high-quality multi is enough to keep all your nutrient levels up to par and prevent any unpleasant side effects that can develop from deficiencies.
4. Try A UV Lamp
If you don't have sun year-round or are in the dead middle of winter, a UV lamp may be the best way to quickly boost your vitamin D levels.
They emit UV-B radiation—the same radiation that's emitted from the sun—to help boost vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Basically, they mimic the action of the sun without having to deal with geographical or time constraints.
However, be mindful that excessive use of UV lamps can burn the skin, so it's recommended to limit exposure to 15 minutes at a time.
Final Thoughts
Vitamin D is one of the most essential nutrients, and the reality is that most people just don't get enough, which leads to complications like weak bones, suppressed immunity, inflammation, mood swings, and more.
But when you take the steps necessary to keep your vitamin D levels up by consuming a diet high in vitamin D-rich foods, getting outside for 30 minutes daily, or taking a multivitamin, you protect yourself against deficiency and provide your body with what it needs to function optimally.
References
- R Nair, A Maseeh. Vitamin D: The "sunshine" vitamin. J Pharmacol Pharmacother. 2012;3(2):118-126.
- P Pramyothin, MF Holick. Vitamin D supplementation: guidelines and evidence for subclinical deficiency.Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2012;28(2):139-150.
- AC Ross, JE Manson, SA Abrams, et al. The 2011 report on dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D from the Institute of Medicine: what clinicians need to know. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(1):53-58.
- Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium; Ross AC, Taylor CL, Yaktine AL, et al., editors. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2011. 3, Overview of Vitamin D.Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56061/
