UPDATE: How Much Vitamin D Should You Take?

Conclusions What is the sweet spot for vitamin D and longevity? All studies are in agreement: 40-50 ng/ml. If I had a (working) magic wand, I'd make this range much broader - but, there it is. Since it is narrow, let's cover the main sources of Vitamin D and figure out how you can get to the exact target. Sources of vitamin D We get vitamin D from supplements, sun and food--and in that order for most of us. Food Considering that we need thousands of IU's of vitamin D per day, food doesn't have that much. Some of the highest sources have only a few hundred units. Food sources of Vitamin D:[13] Salmon: 4 oz. = 500 IU Sardines: 3.2 oz. = 175 IU Cow's milk: 1/2 cup (fortified, 2% or greater fat) = 62 IU Eggs:1 = 143 IU Shiitake mushrooms: 1/2 cup = 20 IU This is why even the healthiest diets rarely give people enough Vitamin D. Sun I find getting your Vitamin D from the sun intriguing. If you find yourself so motivated to get your Vitamin D exclusively from the sun, please read The Vitamin D Solution, by Dr. Michael Holick. He has a great section, containing the Holick Sun Tables, to help you figure this out. Please do know that it does take factoring in your skin type, latitude, season, how much of your body will be exposed, time of day of exposure, and duration of exposure. It's a lot to think about. Overall, the sun can work, yet, due to life and scheduling, many find it difficult to get the exact right amounts on a daily basis. Despite the fact I practice in one...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news