Vegan Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that our bodies need to ensure proper nutrition. However, if we aren’t consuming the right amount, we won’t be able to experience the benefits of this essential nutrient. But that begs the question: exactly how much vitamin D should we take?
The recommended dietary intake of vitamin D3 for healthy adults is 15 mcg per day. However, the daily recommended intake for vitamin D3 varies depending on age and life-stage factors.
So if you’re interested in increasing your vitamin D3 intake, you’ll want to read our blog first. We’ll give you all the information you need to determine why vitamin D is essential and how much you should take to support bone health.
Why should you take vitamin D3?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in supporting a healthy vascular system. By maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D, we can experience the following benefits:
- Improved bone mineral density
- Regulation of calcium
- Normal immune system function
- Metabolism regulation
Studies have shown that vitamin D insufficiency affects almost 50% of the population worldwide and that an estimated 1 billion people have a vitamin D deficiency. That’s why we need to make an effort to ensure we’re getting enough vitamin D to support the functions we’ve listed above.
But because vitamin D is an essential nutrient, we need to derive this vitamin from outside sources, whether via food or supplement. Luckily, vitamin D3 supplements, in particular, have been shown to offer effective results in ensuring adequate vitamin D intake and proper nutrition.
But how do we know exactly how much vitamin D3 we should take per day to support our health? Luckily, health experts have determined vitamin D's recommended dietary intake, or RDI, for different age groups and life stages.
For adults
According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D3 for healthy adults is 15 mcg (600 international units IU) per day.
This amount applies to everyone between the ages of 19-and 70 years and is essential in ensuring general health.
Taking 15 mcg per day prevents the development of a vitamin D deficiency, which can result in:
- Osteoporosis
- Osteopenia
- Bone pain
- Muscle weakness
- Depression
- Fatigue
That’s why adults lacking vitamin D in their diet should consider taking a daily dietary supplement to fulfill this nutritional requirement.
For older adults
While older adults also need to take 15 mcg of vitamin D per day to maintain their health, this demographic may have to take extra measures.
According to research, older adults are at an increased risk of having lower vitamin D levels.
A vitamin D deficiency is particularly dangerous for this age group, as vitamin D plays a vital role in doing the following:
- Maintaining skeletal health
- Supporting cardiovascular health
- Supporting nervous system health
- Reducing risk of osteoporosis
- Reducing risk of cognitive decline
- Reducing risk of heart disease
To maintain adequate vitamin D levels, older adults may need to take daily vitamin D3 supplements to support their health.
For children
Children between the ages of 1 to 18 years are also recommended to take 15 mcg of vitamin D3 per day.
According to multiple studies, vitamin D plays a vital role in children’s health. For example, this essential nutrient has been known to perform the following functions for children specifically:
- Improve immune system function
- Support healthy brain development
- Improve mental health
- Support bone development
Children who aren’t getting enough vitamin D from their diet should take vitamin D3 supplements to support their growth and development.
For pregnant and breastfeeding women
Pregnant and breastfeeding women also need to consume 15 mcg of vitamin D per day, but for different reasons than the previously mentioned groups.
Pregnant women need to be intaking enough of this nutrient to support their changing body and their baby's development. Research shows that pregnant women are more likely to develop a vitamin D3 deficiency, which could result in the following complications:
- Pre-eclampsia
- Gestational diabetes mellitus
- Preterm birth
- Increased risk of mortality
- Other tissue-specific conditions
However, adequate vitamin D intake isn’t only crucial for pregnant women. Breastfeeding women also need to take 15 mcg of vitamin D to ensure that their breast milk is filled with the nutrients necessary for their baby's health.
For babies
The dietary recommended allowance for newborns between 0-12 months is ten mcg of vitamin D per day.
Vitamin D is especially essential for infants to consume, as it offers:
- healthy growth and development
- Support bone development
- Preventions from rickets
- Support neurodevelopment
However, according to the CDC, breast milk alone does not provide infants with an adequate amount of vitamin D. That’s why additional vitamin D supplementation is recommended for infants below a year old.
Final thoughts
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient we should all make sure we’re consuming enough of in our diet to support our health. That’s why FuelOrganics offers a high-quality vegan vitamin D3 supplement designed to help a healthy vascular system for all types of people.
For more information on vitamin D3, check out some of our other articles: 10 Signs You Have A Weak Immune System
Trusted sources
- Nair, R., & Maseeh, A. (2012). Vitamin D: The "sunshine" vitamin. Journal of pharmacology & pharmacotherapeutics, 3(2), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.4103/0976-500X.95506
- Vitamin D. Fact sheet for health professionals. National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/#h2
- Meehan, M., & Penckofer, S. (2014). The Role of Vitamin D in the Aging Adult. Journal of aging and gerontology, 2(2), 60–71. https://doi.org/10.12974/2309-6128.2014.02.02.1
- Weydert J. A. (2014). Vitamin D in Children's Health. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 1(2), 208–226. https://doi.org/10.3390/children1020208
- Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy. (2020, September 8). World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/elena/titles/vitamind_supp_pregnancy/en/#:~:text=Vitamin%20D%20deficiency%20is%20thought,and%20other%20tissue%2Dspecific%20conditions.
- Do infants get enough vitamin D from breast milk? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/diet-and-micronutrients/vitamin-d.html