Vitamin D plays an important role in calcium absorption and bone health, and may also help prevent chronic diseases such as cancer. Most people make plenty of vitamin D3 on their own, as vitamin D3 is synthesized in the skin upon direct exposure to sunlight. Despite the simplicity with which vitamin D3 is made, some people remain vitamin D deficient. If you are found to have low vitamin D levels, your doctor may recommend that you get more sunlight or take a vitamin D3 supplement.
Sunlight
Vitamin D3 is perhaps the world's least expensive supplement; it is completely free if you have access to ample sunlight. When ultraviolet light from the Sun's rays hits your skin, you make plenty of vitamin D3 on your own. While this primary source of vitamin D3 is readily available, many people have problems getting enough exposure to the sunlight needed to make vitamin D3. During the winter months, sunlight in Canada and northern states in the U.S. is not powerful enough to induce vitamin D3 synthesis. When sunlight is intense enough to trigger vitamin D3, people with fair skin should go outdoors and expose their arms and legs to sunlight without sunscreen for 10 minutes each day to get proper levels of vitamin D, according to a report in "U.S. News and World Report." People with dark skin need much more sun exposure to make vitamin D.
Supplements
For people who cannot get adequate vitamin D3 from the sun, many vitamin D3 supplements are available. The Vitamin D Council explains that the most potent of these supplements are typically in the 4000 U range and are derived from sheep's wool. Other less potent vitamin D3 supplements are made from fish liver oil. If you are vegan and searching for a non-animal source of vitamin D3, you may be able to take vitamin D2, which comes from fungus. If you are severely deficient for vitamin D, your doctor may also prescribe supplements with much higher dosages of vitamin D3.
Food Sources
There are some food sources that supply modest levels of vitamin D. Fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel provide some vitamin D3, while beef liver is also a good source. Additionally, some foods such as cow's milk, breakfast cereals and orange juices are fortified with vitamin D3.
Recommendations
If you are concerned with your vitamin D levels, ask your doctor to perform a vitamin D blood test to check for vitamin D deficiency. If your doctor finds your blood levels of vitamin D to be low, he may recommend that you take a vitamin D3 supplement. Consult your doctor to determine which supplement best suits your needs. The Vitamin D Council notes that tanning beds may also help to increase your vitamin D levels, however, the National Institutes of Health warn that the potential risks of skin caner associated with tanning may outweigh their benefits.
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