OverviewVitamin D is a nutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones. That's because your body can only absorb calcium, the primary component of bone, when vitamin D is present. Vitamin D also regulates many other cellular functions in your body. Its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and neuroprotective properties support immune health, muscle function and brain cell activity. Show Vitamin D isn't naturally found in many foods, but you can get it from fortified milk, fortified cereal, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Your body also makes vitamin D when direct sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into an active form of the vitamin (calciferol). The amount of vitamin D your skin makes depends on many factors, including the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, vitamin D production might decrease or be completely absent during the winter months. Sunscreen, while important to prevent skin cancer, also can decrease vitamin D production. Many older adults don't get regular exposure to sunlight and have trouble absorbing vitamin D. If your doctor suspects you're not getting enough vitamin D, a simple blood test can check the levels of this vitamin in your blood. Taking a multivitamin with vitamin D may help improve bone health. The recommended daily amount of vitamin D is 400 international units (IU) for children up to age 12 months, 600 IU for people ages 1 to 70 years, and 800 IU for people over 70 years. EvidenceResearch on vitamin D use for specific conditions shows:
Our takeGenerally safeWithout vitamin D your bones can become soft, thin and brittle. Insufficient vitamin D is also connected to osteoporosis. If you don't get enough vitamin D through sunlight or dietary sources, you might need vitamin D supplements. Safety and side effectsTaken in appropriate doses, vitamin D is generally considered safe. However, taking too much vitamin D in the form of supplements can be harmful. Children age 9 years and older, adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women who take more than 4,000 IU a day of vitamin D might experience:
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. What are the benefits of taking vitamin D3?Health Benefits of D3 Supplements. Strengthens bones and muscles.. Boosts immunity.. Improves mood.. Reduces inflammation.. Improves heart function.. Is it good to take vitamin D3 everyday?Most experts recommend that you shouldn't take more than 4,000 IU of vitamin D a day. When your serum D3 is very low (less than 12 nanograms per milliliter), some may recommend a short course of once-weekly 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 or D3, followed by a usual dose of 600 to 800 IU daily.
What are the symptoms of low vitamin D3?Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:. Fatigue.. Not sleeping well.. Bone pain or achiness.. Depression or feelings of sadness.. Hair loss.. Muscle weakness.. Loss of appetite.. Getting sick more easily.. Does vitamin D3 give you energy?Vitamin D keeps your immune system strong and can help regulate insulin levels. It keeps your energy levels up and enhances your mood, too.
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