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Jan 62 min read

Where can you get Vitamin D?

'The three main sources of Vitamin D are sunlight, food, and supplements'



Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient that plays a key role in supporting strong bones, a healthy immune system, and overall well-being. By the end of this series of blog posts you will learn:



White background with the words D vitamin in the middle in yellow with an image of the sun, boiled eggs, salmon, sardines, mushrooms and a pot of vitamin d around it.
 

Where Can You Get Vitamin D?


The three main sources of Vitamin D are sunlight, food, and supplements. 


Sun Exposure


Sun exposure is the most natural and efficient way to get Vitamin D. When UltraViolet (UVB) rays hit your body, it reacts with a steroid (7-dehydrocholesterol) found deep within your skin. This steroid is then turned into Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 enters your liver and is turned into a pro-hormone (calcidiol). This pro-hormone then enters your kidneys and is turned into the active form (useful form) of Vitamin D (calcitriol).


The more skin you have exposed without clothes or sunscreen (SPF), and therefore the greater the surface area available for the sun to reach, the more Vitamin D your body will produce.


A diagram created by Josie from The Health Puzzle showing how you can make vitamin d from the sun hitting your skin, from your diet and supplements. It shows them going into the liver, then the kidneys to become the active form of vitamin d.
Diagram showing the creation of Vitamin D from the sun, diet and supplements. Created by The Health Puzzle.

Diet


Vitamin D is found naturally in certain foods, but not in very large amounts. Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines are good sources, as are egg yolks, and sun-exposed mushrooms.


HELPFUL TIP


Leave your mushrooms for 10 minutes out in the sunshine to increase their Vitamin D content.


Image of white mushrooms lying in the sunshine to increase their Vitamin D content.

Some foods, like milk, cereals, and orange juice, are fortified with Vitamin D, however they are more often than not fortified with poor quality nutrients and should not be relied upon. In addition to this fortified foods are typically ultra-processed and are therefore low in other health supportive nutrients, such as, healthy fats, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. If you would like to learn more about how to optimise your diet to support your health and wellbeing longterm check out our online course 'Nutrition: The Corner Pieces'.



Supplements


For those who struggle to meet their needs through sunlight and food, supplements can be an effective solution. Check out the final blog post in this Vitamin D series 'How to increase your Vitamin D Levels' to learn more about optimising your Vitamin D levels via supplementation.


A 30 year old male who has his head tipped back as he uses a pipet to drop Vitamin D into his mouth.

Click on the button below to find out why might your vitamin D levels be low.



 

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