The optimal level of vitamin D intake is a controversial subject. While the National Institute of Health has set the it’s recommendations on the lower side, many doctors and researchers believe we need much higher levels of intake for optimal health and prevention of illness.
So how much vitamin D should I take? It depends on who you talk to.
The current Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 600 International Units (IU) per day for people between the ages of 14 and 70. For people older than 70 and pregnant women the RDA is slightly higher, while for children under 14 it’s slightly lower. 600 IU a day has been found to be sufficient to prevent bone related diseases such as rickets and ward off many symptoms of deficiency such as extreme fatigue and depression.
Many doctors and researchers suggest, however, that many symptoms are still present at that level of intake and that higher levels are needed. Studies indicate that people taking in around 600 IU still experience some issues with calcium absorption, fatigue, depression and hormonal regulation, even if the most severe symptoms are mitigated.
According to The Vitamin Source website, a safer number is closer to 2,000 IU each day, which should be enough to completely address all deficiency symptoms unless the person has a disorder in which they are unable to properly absorb vitamin D. Even if 2,000 IU is slightly more than necessary (although Havard researchers and reputable doctors believe it is necessary), vitamin D intake doesn’t become unhealthy until well over 10,000 IU, so it’s perfectly safe to err on the safe side.
That being said, I recommend supplementing around 2,000 IU a day unless you’re already getting tons of afternoon sun. Although the NIH’s numbers are much lower, supplementing up to 2,000 is perfectly safe and will most likely be beneficial to your health.
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