Vitamin D Fact Sheet
Prepared by Shelly Asplin, MA, RD LMNT, 2010
Top Two Reasons to Consume Adequate Vitamin D:
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Helps body absorb calcium
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Avoiding deficiency symptoms
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Osteopenia
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Osteoporsis
How much Vitamin D per day?
Adequate Intakes (AIs) for Vitamin D
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnant | Lactating |
| 0-12 months |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
N/A | N/A |
| 1-13 years |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
N/A | N/A |
| 14-18 years |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
5 mcg (200 IU) | 5 mcg (200 IU) |
| 19-50 years |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
5 mcg (200 IU) |
| 51-70 years |
10 mcg (400 IU) |
10 mcg (400 IU) |
N/A | N/A |
| 71+ years |
15 mcg (600 IU) |
15 mcg (600 IU) |
N/A | N/A |
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for Vitamin D
| Age | Male | Female | Pregnancy | Lactation |
| 0-12 months |
25 mcg (1000 IU) |
25 mcg (1000 IU) |
N/A | N/A |
| 1-13 years |
50 mcg (2000 IU) |
50 mcg (2000 IU) |
N/A | N/A |
| 14= Years |
50 mcg (2000 IU) |
50 mcg (2000 IU) |
50 mcg (2000 IU) |
50 mcg (2000 IU) |
Research is suggesting 1,000 – 2,000 IU’s per day
Food Sources
| Food | Vitamin D (IU's) | %DV |
| Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon | 1360 | 340.00% |
| Salmon, sockeye, cooked, 3 ounces | 794 | 199.00% |
| Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces | 154 | 39.00% |
| Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 1 cup | 115-124 | 29-31.00% |
| Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 1 cup (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies) | 100 | 25.00% |
| Yogurt, fortified with 20% of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV) | 80 | 20.00% |
*DV = Daily Value. DV’s are developed by the FDA to help consumers know how much of a specific nutrient is in a food.
Non-Food Sources - The Sun!
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Be sensible!! Don’t burn!
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5 - 10 minutes per day
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30 minutes = 20,000 IU’s (varies based on skin, geographical location, etc)
Labs to check Vitamin D status: 25(OH)D
Adapted from the following resources:
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NIH Office Of Dietary Supplements. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp
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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2003. USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 16. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp
Disclaimer: This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Consult with a health care provider before making changes to your health care regimen.
Reviewed 2/19/2013
