What is vitamin D?
![Vitamin D is naturally available in foods like salmon, herring, sardines, egg yolks, and mushrooms. Another common way to consume vitamin D is to eat foods that have been fortified with it.](https://images.medicinenet.com/images/article/main_image/what-foods-are-highest-in-vitamin-d.jpg?output-quality=75)
Vitamin D is important to keep the body healthy. It helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to grow and maintain healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.
Vitamin D deficiency is common in people who do not spend enough time outside in direct exposure to sunlight or those who do not eat enough foods that contain Vitamin D. This can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and bone pain in adults caused by osteomalacia, a softening of the bones.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods. It’s also added to other foods and is available as a dietary supplement. Your body produces vitamin D when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strikes the skin.
Foods with vitamin D
The recommended daily intake of vitamin D from foods is 20 micrograms. However, If you’re not exposed to consistent sun on a daily basis, the recommended intake from food is 25 micrograms per day.
Several foods contain vitamin D, including:
Salmon
Salmon is rich in vitamin D, though there can be a big difference in the amount based on whether the salmon is farmed or wild-caught. Wild salmon has on average 988 international units (IU) of vitamin D per a 3-ounce serving, while the same size serving for farm-raised salmon is around 250 IU, or almost a quarter of the total.
Herring and sardines
Fresh Atlantic herring contains about 216 IU per 3-ounce serving. Pickled herring provides about 112 IU per serving. Canned sardines have 177 IU per 3.8-ounce can.
Other fatty fish
There are several other oily, fatty fish that contain a good amount of vitamin D. Halibut (384 IU), mackerel (360 IU), and canned tuna (268 IU) can be good fish alternatives for a varied diet.
Cod liver oil
This is a popular supplement taken for vitamin D consumption, specifically to prevent and treat vitamin D deficiency in children. In addition to containing 448 IU of vitamin D in a single teaspoon, cod liver oil is rich in vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids.
Egg yolks
Fish aren’t the only animal source of vitamin D. It can be found in chicken eggs, and the IU amount can vary significantly based on the conditions the chicken is kept. For example, a farm-raised chicken that spends most of its life indoors will produce eggs with about 37 IU, whereas chickens with moderate to complete exposure to the sun can reach IU levels of 148 and above.
Mushrooms
The only plant source to contain vitamin D, mushrooms can synthesize this vitamin when exposed to UV light. Mushrooms contain primarily vitamin D2, however, and some studies have shown that it might not be as good for you as D3.
Fortified foods
A common way to consume vitamin D is to eat foods that have been fortified with it. These can include:
- Cereal
- Cheese
- Cow’s milk
- Soy milk
- Orange juice
- Oatmeal
- Yogurt
![](https://images.medicinenet.com//images/slideshow/amazing_vitamin_d_s1_wonder_vitamin.jpg)
SLIDESHOW
Vitamin D Deficiency: How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? See SlideshowRisks and outlook
There might be some risks to consuming large quantities of vitamin D foods or supplements with certain medications like Orlistat, statins, steroids, and Thiazide diuretics. Consult a doctor if you are taking any of these medications and plan to increase your vitamin D intake.
The most natural way people get vitamin D is through direct exposure to the UV rays from sunlight. That said, too much exposure to UV rays could lead to sunburn, rashes, or even skin cancer. If you’re worried about your vitamin D intake, it’s a good idea to balance time spent in the sun with foods that contain vitamin D naturally or have been fortified.
Food and Chemical Toxicology: “Safety Assessment of the Post-Harvest Treatment of Button Mushrooms Using Ultraviolet Light.”
National Health Service: “Vitamin D.”
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements: “Vitamin D.”
Nutrition: “Free-Range Farming: A Natural Alternative to Produce Vitamin D-Enriched Eggs.”
Pediatrics: “Vitamin D, Cod Liver Oil, Sunlight, and Rickets: A Historical Perspective.”
The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology: “An Evaluation of the vitamin D Content in Fish.”
United States Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central: “Fish, Herring, Atlantic, Cooked, Dry Heat.”
United States Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central: “Fish, Salmon, Atlantic, Farmed, Cooked, Dry Heat.”
United States Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central: “Fish Oil, Cod Liver.”
United States Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central: “Vitamin D.”
Top What Foods Are Highest in Vitamin D Related Articles
How Do I Know If I Am Getting Enough Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps your body function properly. The best way to find out if you are getting enough vitamin D through your lifestyle and diet is to take the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test.How Do You Know if You're Getting Enough Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is an important hormone in your body that helps you regulate your calcium and phosphorus balance and bone density. The best way to know if you’re getting enough vitamin D is if you get the recommended amount in your diet.multivitamins
Multivitamins are a combination of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients used to supplement nutritional deficiency and help maintain good health and normal functioning of the body. Common side effects of multivitamins include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark stools, and constipation. Do not give adult multivitamin preparations to children. Multivitamins at recommended doses are generally safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Multivitamins cannot replace a healthy diet.Vitamin D Slideshow
What does vitamin D do? Learn about vitamin D benefits and discover foods that are high in vitamin D. Explore vitamin D deficiency symptoms and the safest ways to get enough vitamin D.panax ginseng
Panax ginseng is an herbal adaptogen, a substance that is believed to help people adapt to and manage stress, anxiety, and fatigue, and is believed to enhance overall health, stamina and cognitive function. Common side effects of panax ginseng include headache, fever (pyrexia), high or low blood pressure (hypertension/hypotension), palpitations, rapid heart rate (tachycardia), breast pain (mastalgia), vaginal bleeding, absence of menstruation (amenorrhea), vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, nervousness, insomnia, mania, euphoria, and swelling (edema). Do not take panax ginseng if you are pregnant.pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, an essential nutrient, which is taken as a supplement to compensate for deficiency. Common side effects of pantothenic acid include headache, weakness/lack of energy (asthenia), muscle pain (myalgia), joint pain (arthralgia), dizziness, flulike illness, sore throat, abdominal pain, nausea, constipation, inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), onset of diabetes mellitus, and others. Consult your doctor if pregnant or breastfeeding.What Are the Symptoms and Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency?
What is vitamin D deficiency? Learn the signs of vitamin D deficiency and what foods you can eat to help prevent vitamin D deficiency.vitamin A
Vitamin A is a supplement used to prevent and treat vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A supports growth and bone development, vision, reproduction, and the development and maintenance of skin tissue. It may also improve the function of the immune system and prevent some cancers. Common side effects of vitamin A supplements include sticky skin, inflammation of the lips, acne, and facial dermatitis. Vitamin A is generally considered safe to consume during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with rickets, cancer, cardiovascular disease, severe asthma in children and cognitive impairment in older adults. Causes include not ingesting enough of the vitamin over time, having limited exposure to sunlight, having dark skin, and obesity. Symptoms include bone pain and muscle weakness. Treatment for vitamin D deficiency involves obtaining more vitamin D through supplements, diet, or exposure to sunlight.Vitamin D Quiz
What happens to the body when there is a vitamin D deficiency? Take the Vitamin D Quiz to find out what you may be missing.vitamin D
Vitamin D (Ergocalciferol [Vitamin D2], Cholecalciferol [Vitamin D3]) is required for the maintanence for bones and teeth. It works to increase absorption of calcium and to prevent its loss through the kidneys.Vitamins and Calcium Supplements
Vitamins are organic substances that are essential for the proper growth and functioning of the body. Calcium is a mineral essential for healthy bones and is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, and normal blood clotting. Check out the center below for more medical references on vitamins and calcium supplements, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.What Are the Benefits of Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for our bodies. Learn about eight benefits of vitamin D, how to know if you’re getting enough vitamin D, and what to eat to increase vitamin D in your body.What Is a Good Family Multivitamin?
When looking for a good multivitamin for your family, consider one that has the following nutrients: vitamin D, Folate, Vitamin B-12Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Magnesium.What Is the Most Effective Vitamin C Serum?
Vitamin C serums are skincare products that contain L-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl-6-palmitate, or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. Effective vitamin C products contain between an eight and 20 percent concentration of vitamin C. They may also contain tyrosine, zinc, and vitamin E and be in an opaque bottle.What Is the Test for Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a vital role in calcium absorption to give you healthy and strong bones. The test for measuring vitamin D involves measuring the levels of the vitamin in a blood sample drawn from your vein.What Vitamins Can Help Boost My Mood?
Studies have identified a few vitamins that can help boost your mood, including vitamin D, B vitamins, vitamin K, and vitamin C.