“For people with known low vitamin D levels, I generally recommend choosing a 5,000 IU vitamin D3 supplement and taking it daily for eight to 12 weeks before retesting blood levelsCrouch suggests. “That said, seasons of the year, typical sun exposure, skin tone and body fat should be considered, as these traits could increase a person’s need for supplements.”*
Of course there is it is a place for some of the lower dose vitamin D supplements you see out there (think under 3000 IU), specifically when someone is taking multiple supplements that contain vitamin D3, like a multivitamin and a bone or immune health supplementdietician highlights Jess Cording, MS, RD, CDN.* A lower-dose product can also be an easy way to boost your current D routine in the winter months, he suggests.
In these cases of multiple D intakes, Ferira explains that you’ll want to “think of your daily D3 supplementation as your foundational foundation for achieving and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels, and approach smaller but useful servings of vitamin D from a multivitaminimmune complexes, diet and sun as a complement, extra, bonus, so to speak.”*
Generally, however, you probably need to take more vitamin D than you think, especially if you have insufficient or deficient levels as even those with already healthy levels need 3,000 IU per day just to avoid plunge into a state of insufficiency. Consider a high power option, such as mbg+ vitamin d3 potency (offering 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 from sustainable organic algae) or another of our favorite vitamin d supplements.*
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