Vitamin D: Importance | Foods | Supplements | Dosage
I saw many times(like a thousand times), people are complaining about their gains. There are not making gains and whenever I asked about their diet and supplement stack.
I always found that they are lacking in Vitamin D not only for who doing Gym but also who want to be just fit(like me!)
I also realised that many teenager or bodybuilder or any fitness freak tired at the end of the workout or during the day and I believe that the main reason is deficiency of Vitamin D.
So, in this article we are going to talk about its importance, can we get it naturally or we need supplements? And how much we should take it.
Importance Of Vitamin D
I believe that Vitamin D is one of the best vitamin in all other vitamins because of it helps us in many different ways to keep our body healthy.
If you are suffer from vitamin D deficiency then there are likely chance that you suffer from Constant Fatigue, depression, Muscle Weakness and many more.
I will suggest you to check your vitamin D level in any laboratory otherwise you try to find cure for other reasons but you don’t find the main reason.
I think many of you might know that Vitamin D helps you to balance your hormone level and most importantly it is also help you to promote your testosterone and definitely you know that testosterone is the main hormone to build a muscles and lose fat (YES! It Helps!)
Vitamin D is very helpful in terms of chronic inflammation, if you feel chronic muscle pain or other muscle pain then you should check your vitamin D level because if your vitamin D level is low then you could also suffer from this problem.
Do you know that Vitamin D helps you to balance your serotonin hormone level?
serotonin is a hormone to keep you happy. I saw many people who feel stressed, although they have all facility that they need and I also saw people who took Vitamin D supplements to keep themselves happy.
Although it is most famous for its role (along with calcium) in maintaining strong, healthy bones, it is becoming increasingly clear that vitamin D provides many additional health benefits. Simply said, vitamin D is important to your health.
Foods Rich in Vitamin D
There are two forms of vitamin D. Vitamin D2 (generally made from yeast) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, manufactured from the skin of sheep, cows, and pigs). Vitamin D3 is the kind our body produces as a result of sun exposure.
So, there are many foods which rich in Vitamin D2 or Vitamin D3.
Even though the majority of Vitamin D is formed by exposing the skin to sunlight, there are some foods that naturally contain quantities of Vitamin D.
If you think that I am not able to get enough Vitamin D from Sunlight then you should eat foods.
Vitamin D is found in cold water fish, like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin D is also found in cod liver oil and other fish liver oils.
If you're not a fish fan(Don’t worry! I will cover supplements for You!), there are lots of supplements available now that don't have that fishy taste.
The US National Institute of Health lists the nutrient values of foods high in Vitamin D as follows:
- Cod liver oil (1 tablespoon): 1,340 IUs
- Sockeye salmon (3 oz. cooked): 794 IUs
- Mackerel (3 oz. cooked): 388 IUs
- Tuna fish (3 oz. canned in water & drained): 154 IUs
- Milk (1 cup fortified): 115-124 IUs
- Orange Juice (1 cup fortified): 100 IUs
For Vegans:
- Maitake mushrooms (1 cup): 786IUs
- Portobello mushrooms (1 cup, sliced): 634IUs
- Soy milk, original, fortified with vitamin D(1 cup): 120IUs
- Almond milk, original, fortified with vitamin D(1 cup): 100IUs
- Chanterelle mushrooms, raw(1 cup): 114IUs
- Orange juice, fortified with vitamin D(1 cup): 100IUs
- Soy yogurt, fortified with vitamin D(150 grams): 80IUs
- Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with vitamin D(¾ – 1 cup): 40IUs
You noticed that cod liver oil is very rich in Vitamin D but it is safe to take it as supplement?
Cod liver oil certainly appears to be the most promising of the foods rich in vitamin D but there are several factors to consider before choosing this as your vitamin D program:
- Vitamin D is not absorbed well without complementary vitamins
- Cod liver oils vary significantly in the amount of vitamin D they provide
- Several tablespoons a day may be necessary to maintain recommended blood levels of vitamin
Supplements
Disclaimer: Please ask your doctor before taking any kind of supplement from this list. This supplement might effect on your organs if you are not taking properly.
- NatureWise Vitamin D3 5,000 IU in Organic Olive Oil, Non-GMO, USP Grade, 360 count
- Vitamin D3 (5000 iu) 360 mini-capsules
- Thorne Research - Vitamin D-5000 - Vitamin D3 Supplement - 60 Capsules
- Omegaboost Vitamin D3 (120 Capsules) - 5000 iu
- Nordic Naturals - Nordic Vitamin D3,
- Thorne Research - Vitamin D/K2 Liquid - Dietary Supplement with D3 and K2
- Ddrops Baby 400 IU, Vitamin D, 90 drops 2.5mL
- NOW Foods Vitamin D3 5000 Iu, 120-Softgels
- Vitafusion Vitamin D3 Gummy Vitamins, Assorted Flavors, 150 Count
- Nature Made, Vitamin D3 2,000 I.U. Liquid Softgels, 250-Count
Dosage
This dosage requirement would be different than what you need so I again said to ask before talking any supplement and dosage from this can make difference in your body.
There is growing support for a daily vitamin D dosage of 1,000-2,000 IUs from all sources (including sunlight, food and supplements) and possibly 5,000 IUs in the winter for people living in northern regions.
ADEQUATE INTAKE (AI) AND DAILY VALUE (DV) LEVELS OF VITAMIN D (200-400 IU daily)
The current Adequate Intake (AI) levels for Vitamin D were established in 1997 by the U.S. Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. (These recommendations are currently under review.)
The recommendations are for 200 IU (international units) daily for everyone under the age of 50, including pregnant/lactating women. For all individuals 50-70 years-old, 400 IU is recommended and for those 70 years-old 600 IU is suggested.
The recommended upper limit of 2,000 IU daily is now considered outdated by most medical professionals.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration identified a Daily Value (DV) of 400 IU for vitamin D for all adults and for children over the age of four.
The percentage daily value of Vitamin D listed on dairy products, soymilk, cereals and vitamin supplements are based on 400 IU-although most experts now consider this insufficient to protect our bone health.
Regions north of the 42 latitude (north of Boston, Rome and approximately Beijing) require significantly more vitamin D either through fortified foods or supplements as there is insufficient ultraviolet radiation from the sun during the late fall and winter to allow vitamin D to be produced naturally through the skin.
Conclusion: Hope now you understand the importance of Vitamin D, supplement you need or not. I always recommend people to take any kind of vitamin naturally if possible.
So, if it is possible to get enough Vitamin D3, I suggest you to absorb it from sunlight then go for foods and in last supplement.
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