Did you know that more than 90% of the population suffers from at least one vitamin or mineral deficiency? Based on this statistic, it’s likely that you have a mineral or vitamin deficiency.

Without a blood test, it’s difficult to know what nutritions your body is lacking. If you know you are deficient in Vitamin D, you might consider taking supplements.

But, what is the best form of Vitamin D? Keep reading to learn more.

Types of Vitamin D

To understand the best form of Vitamin D, you need to know the different types. Vitamin D is available as Vitamin D-2 (ergocalciferol) or Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol).

Natural food sources of Vitamin D, such as tuna or salmon, and sun exposure provide the body with D-3. Plant-based sources provide the D-2 form of the vitamin.

Both forms work almost identically to one another, but there are studies that suggest that the D-3 form is more efficient in raising blood levels of Vitamin D.

Required Vitamin D Amounts

The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is the average daily intake needed to meet the nutritional needs of healthy people.

For most of the population, it’s recommended to consume 600 International Units (IU) of Vitamin D each day. Men and women over the age of 70 need a little bit more and should aim for 800 IU daily.

If you are unaware of your current Vitamin D status, consider getting a blood test. You can order one through your healthcare provider or take one in their office.

Always talk to your healthcare provider about the results because different laboratories can have varying cut-off deficiency levels.

Vitamin D Sources

There are few foods that contain enough Vitamin D-3 naturally. Those that do, like wild sockeye salmon, provide almost 450 IU of Vitamin D which meets a good percent of your daily requirements.

Other fatty fish, such as canned tuna, provide about 150 IU per 3-ounce serving.

There are also foods with Vitamin D added like fortified orange juice and milk that provide almost one-third of your daily needs. If diet alone doesn’t meet your recommended dose, supplements can help.

Best Form of Vitamin D

When you need to supplement your diet with more Vitamin D, discovering the best form of Vitamin D is beneficial.

Pills are the most common form of Vitamin D, but how do they differ from gummies and powder?

Vitamin D Gummies

Gummy vitamins typically come in flavors and may have one vitamin or be a multivitamin. Studies have shown that a gummy vitamin and a vitamin pill have about the same amount of vitamins in them.

This means they are equally absorbed in the bloodstream, so they have about the same amount of bioavailability. Bioavailability refers to the amount of a substance that can be absorbed from the digestive system.

Gummy vitamins are easily accessible and cost around the same price as Vitamin D pills. They are often given to children to offset the taste of a pill and can be consumed without choking. Adults that have trouble swallowing also take them.

The problem with gummies is that vitamins aren’t controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). When you buy gummies over the counter, there is no guarantee that the amount of vitamin on the label is in the product.

This is true for any form of Vitamin D that you can buy off the shelf, but seems to be a bigger problem for gummy vitamins.

There are extra ingredients in gummy vitamins like gelatin, corn starch, sugar, food coloring, and flavoring ingredients, to name a few. Because of this, it’s hard to get the actual Vitamin D into the gummy.

Gummies are also less potent and have a shorter shelf life than Vitamin D pills. To offset this problem, some manufacturers overload gummies with more Vitamin D to prolong the shelf life.

This means it’s possible that you get more than the label says in a gummy that is fresh and fewer vitamins in an older gummy.

Vitamin D, along with A, E, K, and C can be toxic in high doses. Multivitamins might include minerals like copper, zinc, and iron that might be toxic for small children.

Vitamin D Powder

Vitamin D powder isn’t as popular as other vitamin powders, like Vitamin C. However, they still exist and have some benefits and risks just like other vitamin forms.

Vitamin D powders are beneficial because they are easy to consume and often come in flavors, much like gummies. You mix these flavored powders with water and drink them to consume Vitamin D.

As stated before, vitamins aren’t regulated by the FDA. You might think you are getting only Vitamin D in a powder, but the actual list of vitamins they contain might not be on the label.

There are possible side effects of taking too much Vitamin D in any form, especially powder. This is why it’s important to use these products as directed. Side effects are rare and not always serious, but can include:

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting

If you are worried about possible side effects, or companies not being truthful on labels, read online reviews before buying anything. You can also consider different forms of vitamins, such as nutritional strips. Discover more here.

Are You Taking Vitamin D?

If you are Vitamin D deficient or want to switch up how you consume Vitamin D, it’s important to know the best form of Vitamin D. However, there is no one-size fits all answer.

Vitamin D pills, gummies, and powder all have their own benefits and risks. If you are unsure about a product or your specific vitamin needs, always consult with your healthcare provider.

For more informative articles like this, check out the other posts on our blog.