In this post, I will chat with you about how to increase vitamin D levels quickly.
Hopefully, you’ve caught it early, and you haven’t yet developed any of the signs of vitamin D deficiency. I have written an article on what to look out for.
It will surprise you how many systems it affects. It’s not only your bones that you need to worry about.
Also, read about why your vitamin D might be low.
For once, I’ll start with summary, but read the three minute post to find out more.
A summary of how to increase vitamin D levels quickly
- Get as much free sunlight as you can. There is a reason sunlight feels so good on your skin. Do it responsibly; you don’t want skin cancer.
- Cod liver oil in your diet daily will do the trick. It also contains vitamin A and omega 3s. There are few dietary sources.
- Vitamin D3 supplements are more potent than D2.
How to increase vitamin D levels quickly in-depth
1. Get into the sun
The fastest way to increase your vitamin D is via the most efficient production source. And it is free. But you need to do it responsibly.
15 to 30 minutes a day is all that’s needed. 2,4
Half an hour produces 10000 to 20000 IU of Vitamin D. 5 You need about 40% surface exposure to generate maximum vitamin D levels.
As discussed in my post ‘Why Is My Vitamin D Low?’, wearing sunscreen on your exposed areas is okay. Studies show that it doesn’t significantly lower production. It is a must to reduce the risk of skin cancer.
I advise putting a hat and sunscreen on and getting into the sunshine for 30 minutes daily in the afternoon when the UV risk is lower. Do some gardening, go for a walk, or play a sport. Exercising in a gym is doing you no favors. I do understand that sometimes you have no choice. In this case, read a book on the balcony or by the window.
Vitamin D is fat-soluble. This means the body can store it until needed. 1
How much vitamin D should you be taking in?
Table 1: Recommended daily allowance of Vitamin D. Food and supplements. 3
| AGE | RDA |
|---|---|
| 1 year old | 400 IU |
| 1 to 70 years old | 600 IU |
| > 70 years old | 800 IU |
These recommendations are for patients to maintain normal levels. If you are deficient, you will need higher doses.
2. Dietary sources
High-content food sources are few and far between.
Examples of healthy foods containing zero vitamin D are broccoli, carrots, apples, bananas, brown rice, lentils, almonds, and sunflower seeds. 3
Sometimes, milk and breakfast cereals are fortified with vitamin D.
Table 2: Vitamin D content in foods 3
| FOOD | SERVING SIZE | IU PER SERVING |
|---|---|---|
| Cod liver oil | 1 tablespoon | 1360 |
| Rainbow trout Farmed, cooked | 3 ounces 85 g | 645 |
| Salmon, cooked | 3 ounces 85 g | 570 |
| Mushrooms, white button, sliced, UV enhanced | 1/2 cup | 366 |
| Egg, scrambled | 1 large | 44 |
| Tuna, canned in water Light meat, drained | 3 ounces 85 g | 40 |
| Cheese, cheddar | 1.5 ounces 40 g | 17 |
The fastest dietary route to optimal vitamin D levels is drinking cod liver oil daily. I feel instantly nauseous at the thought, but this might be your solution. Apparently, the flavor of some brands is not fishy at all.
Fish is the next best source. Fresh salmon and trout are top of the list. Herring, mackerel, and tuna also contain some vitamin D.
Egg yolk is a dietary source, but one egg a day only provides < 10% of your RDA. In the long term, eggs can increase cholesterol risk.
White button mushrooms are the only significant plant-based source of vitamin D; portabella mushrooms have hardly any. The Vitamin D content is increased in white mushrooms by exposure to UV. Some commercial growers do this to boost the levels. Trials show that you can increase the vitamin D2 content by placing sliced mushrooms in the midday sun for 15 minutes. 6 You can even do this at home.
3. Supplements
Sometimes, the only option is to take supplements.
Examples of severely deficient cases that I have seen in my practice are
- a vegan patient who had a history of skin cancer,
- patients who work night shifts six days a week, and
- people who are in nursing homes or frail care.
There are two forms available: vitamin D2 and D3.
You can use either.
Vitamin D3 is ten times more potent and will increase your levels more effectively than D2. 7,10
D3 is animal-derived. You get the same form from the sun and salmon. Vitamin D2 is plant-based or synthetic. 10
Vitamin D2 at higher doses can have the same effect as D3 over time. It has been proven to prevent and reverse bone disease in children and adults. 10
Scientists have stated in studies that D2 is not good enough for use as a supplement. 9,10 The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of South Africa disagree. At the date of this post’s publication, both organizations say that D2 or D3 is acceptable.
In South Africa, high-dose vitamin D2 is cheaper than D3.
Chat with your doctor about the form and dose necessary to get you back to normal. You often need a prescription for high-dose D2 or D3.
References
- Anjum, I., Jaffery, S. S., Fayyaz, M., Samoo, Z., & Anjum, S. (2018). The Role of Vitamin D in Brain Health: A Mini Literature Review. Cureus, 10(7). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.2960
- Srivastava S. B. (2021). Vitamin D: Do We Need More Than Sunshine?. American journal of lifestyle medicine, 15(4), 397–401. https://doi.org/10.1177/15598276211005689
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, September 18). Office of dietary supplements – vitamin D. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
- Akpınar, Ş., & Karadağ, M. G. (2022). Is Vitamin D Important in Anxiety or Depression? What Is the Truth? Current Nutrition Reports, 11(4), 675-681. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-022-00441-0
- Shipton, E. A., & Shipton, E. E. (2015). Vitamin D and Pain: Vitamin D and Its Role in the Aetiology and Maintenance of Chronic Pain States and Associated Comorbidities. Pain Research and Treatment, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/904967
- Cardwell, G., Bornman, J. F., James, A. P., & Black, L. J. (2018). A Review of Mushrooms as a Potential Source of Dietary Vitamin D. Nutrients, 10(10), 1498. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10101498
- Armas, L. A., Hollis, B. W., & Heaney, R. P. (2004). Vitamin D2 Is Much Less Effective than Vitamin D3 in Humans. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 89(11), 5387-5391. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2004-0360
- Houghton, L. A., & Vieth, R. (2006). The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement1,2. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84(4), 694-697. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/84.4.694
- Mistretta, V. I., Delanaye, P., Chapelle, J. P., Souberbielle, J. C., & Cavalier, E. (2008). Vitamine D2 ou vitamine D3? [Vitamin D2 or vitamin D3?]. La Revue de medecine interne, 29(10), 815–820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revmed.2008.03.003
- Houghton, L. A., & Vieth, R. (2006). The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement1,2. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84(4), 694-697. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/84.4.694
