Vitamin D Sources – Recommended Vitamin D Intake Levels
With new milk processing technologies, it is possible to fortify milk with vitamin D. In fact, almost 98 percent of the milk sold in the United States comes fortified with vitamin D2. However, the same cannot be said about milk-based products such as ice creams and cheese. They are usually not fortified with this crucial vitamin. Another important fact that must be kept in mind is that vitamin D2, which is ergocalciferol, has its own limitations. Even though the milk comes fortified with it, but vitamin D2’s benefits are severely limited in comparison to the natural vitamin D3. In terms of enhancing serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels, vitamin D2 is almost 70 percent less effective in comparison to vitamin D3(1).
When it comes to receiving vitamin D through natural food sources, the limitation is that only a considerably small amount of foods offer or provide rich sources of this vitamin(2). Therefore, it is widely recommended to use supplements for vitamin D3, unless a person has an extensive exposure to UV rays regularly.
List of Vitamin D Food Sources
| Fish/Shellfish | Vitamin D: IU |
| catchannel, wild, raw | 1053 |
| caviar, black and red, granular | 184 |
| clam, mixed species, raw | 11 |
| cod, Atlantic, canned, solids and liquid | 160 |
| cod, Atlantic, raw | 107 |
| fish portions and sticks, frozen, preheated | 6 |
| flatfish (flounder and sole species), raw | 132 |
| halibut, Greenland, raw | 645 |
| herring, Atlantic, kippered | 111 |
| herring, Atlantic, pickled | 519 |
| herring, Atlantic, raw | 2061 |
| mackerel, Atlantic, raw | 351 |
| mackerel, jack, canned, drained solids | 323 |
| oyster, eastern, wild, raw | 941 |
| salmon, chum, drained solids with bone | 318 |
| salmon, pink, canned, drained solids with bone | 685 |
| salmon, pink, canned, solids with bone and liquid | 898 |
| salmon, sockeye, canned, drained solids with bone | 920 |
| shrimp, mixed species, raw | 287 |
| tuna, light, canned in oil, drained solids | 238 |
| Dairy/Eggs | Vitamin D: IU |
| Cheese, Chedder 1 ounce | 3.4 |
| Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce | 12 |
| Egg, 1 whole (egg yolk) | 20 |
| Margarine, fortified, 1 Tablespoon | 60 |
| Milk, nonfat, reduced, whole, vitamin D fortified, 1 cup | 98 |
| Orange Juice, fortified, 1 cup | 142 |
| Pudding, from fortified milk, ½ cup | 50 |
| Ready-to-eat cereals 1 cup | 40 |
| Vegetables | Vitamin D: IU |
| Mushrooms, white, raw, 1 cup | 12.6 |
| Potatoes, mashed, whole milk added, 1 cup | 12.6 |
| Spinach souffle, 1 cup | 34 |
| Potato Pancakes, 1 small | 1.8 |
Recommended Daily Intake Levels of Vitamin D
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends a daily intake of vitamin D ranging between 200 IU and 600 IU depending on the age of the person(3).
- 200 IU per day for children 0 to 13 years
- 200 IU per day for adolescents 14 to 18 years
- 200 IU per day for adults 19 to 50 years
- 400 IU per day for children 51 to 70 years
- 600 IU per day for adults 71+ years
Vitamin D Safety
Risks related to vitamin D overdose are almost unheard of. A research study conducted way back in 1997 indicated that toxicity of vitamin D in healthy adults with daily intake levels of less than 10,000 IU is highly unlikely. Furthermore, there is not any scientific evidence to suggest vitamin D toxicity that may take place due to overexposure to the sun.
Vitamin D Tolerable Upper Intake Level
The tolerance levels for higher doses of vitamin D are fairly high for all age groups:
- 1000 IU per day for infants 0-12 months
- 2000 IU per day for children 1-18 years
- 2000 IU per day for Adults 19+ years
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Vitamin D Tolerable Upper Intake Level
*In July 2012, the EFSA reviewed the Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for vitamin D and has raised the UL from 50 micrograms (50µg) a day to 100µg for adults and adolescents. The UL for children aged 1-10 has been increased from 25µg a day to 50µg a day(5)
- 2000 IU per day for children 1-10 years
- 4000 IU per day for children and adolescents 11-18 years
- 4000 IU per day for adults 19+ years
References:
(1)Heaney RP, Davies KM, Chen TC, Holick MF, Barger-Lux MJ. Human serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol response to extended oral dosing with cholecalciferol. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77(1):204-210. (PubMed)
(2)Guyton KZ, Kensler TW, Posner GH. Vitamin D and vitamin D analogs as cancer chemopreventive agents. Nutr Rev. 2003;61(7):227-238. (PubMed)
(3)Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Vitamin D. Dietary Reference Intakes: Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. Washington D.C.: National Academies Press; 1999:250-287. (National Academies Press)
(4)Vieth R, Chan PC, MacFarlane GD. Efficacy and safety of vitamin D3 intake exceeding the lowest observed adverse effect level. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;73(2):288-294. (PubMed)
(5)EFSA Journal 2012;10(7):2813 [45 pp.]. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2813
