15 Recipes to Boost Your Vitamin D (2024)

FAQs

How can I raise my vitamin D levels quickly? ›

The best food sources of vitamin D are oily fish, including salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Other sources include egg yolks, red meat, and liver. Vitamin D is added to some foods too, including breakfast cereals, plant milks and fat spreads.

The best sources are the flesh of fatty fish and fish liver oils. Smaller amounts are found in egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver.

You can get vitamin D from vitamin D-fortified beverages, including cow's milk, soy milk, and orange juice. Be sure to check the nutrition label, as only vitamin D-fortified drinks contain vitamin D.

When vitamin D levels are low and the body isn't able to properly absorb calcium and phosphorus, there is an increased risk of bone pain, bone fractures, muscle pain, and muscle weakness. In older adults, severe vitamin D deficiency (levels less than 10 ng/mL) may also contribute to an increased risk of falls.

“Adding an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement can make improvements in just three to four months. Vitamin D with a strength of 1000-2000 international units daily is the recommended dose for most adults,” Dr. Ropte says. Most multivitamins contain vitamin D, so extra supplementation isn't always necessary.

Amla: Amla is a highly nutritious fruit used in Ayurvedic medicine. It possesses a reasonable amount of vitamin D and can be consumed fresh or in various culinary preparations. Mushrooms: Certain mushrooms, such as maitake, morel, and shiitake, can produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

Nope, no vitamin D here. But bananas do contain plenty of magnesium. And guess what? Among the many reasons you need magnesium is that once your vitamin D is in your bloodstream, the magnesium puts it to work, making magnesium a must-have in order for you to access the many benefits of vitamin D.

Mushrooms are really the only notable plant-based source of vitamin D. But keep in mind that most mushrooms you'll find in the store, like button mushrooms, aren't exposed to sunlight.

What is the richest source of vitamin D? ›

Symptoms when vitamin D is low

Most people with vitamin D deficiency are asymptomatic. However, if you're exhausted, your bones hurt, you have muscle weakness or mood changes, that's an indication that something may be abnormal with your body.

However, it generally takes about 6-8 weeks of supplementation for your vitamin D levels to go back into the normal range. Even after your Vitamin D levels get normal, your doctor may still have you take supplements for a while to make sure your levels don't fall below normal again.

Cystic fibrosis, Crohn's disease and celiac disease: These conditions can prevent your intestines from adequately absorbing enough vitamin D through supplements, especially if the condition is untreated. Obesity: A body mass index greater than 30 is associated with lower vitamin D levels.

For a severe deficiency, a doctor may recommend prescription vitamin D, which comes in much stronger doses of up to 50,000 IU . Your doctor may also consider vitamin D injections . Magnesium helps activate vitamin D, so you may want to take this mineral too. Eating more vitamin D-rich foods may also boost your levels.