Vitamin D: A Powerhouse Nutrient

A well-balanced diet is the key to ensuring we get all the nutrients we need. Vitamin D is one nutrient with many different functions, but with few dietary sources. Fortunately, we have the ability to naturally produce it! When our skin is exposed to sunlight, it signals our bodies to create vitamin D. Research suggests just 5-30 minutes of direct sunlight—outside, not through a window—at least twice a week is sufficient for our bodies to produce the vitamin D we need.¹

Vitamin D has many important effects in the body, including boosting mood and energy levels, maintaining heart health through healthy blood pressure, as well as supporting strong bones and muscle function. Generally, we associate calcium intake with having strong bones, which is true, but vitamin D is necessary to assist our bodies in using calcium properly. Long term vitamin D deficiency can lead to weaker bones and the development of osteoporosis. ²

While it’s easier to reach the recommended level of vitamin D during the warmer months, it is common for people to become deficient during colder weather or more time spent indoors. To meet to recommended levels year-round, it’s important to incorporate vitamin D-containing foods into your diet.

Most milk and dairy products are fortified with vitamin D. Milk is rich in calcium, and some dairy producers market their products as excellent sources of vitamin D to pair the two nutrients together. ³ Eggs are sometimes enhanced with vitamin D by egg producers adding it to the chicken feed. Egg-laying chickens that are exposed to sunlight in the summer months also produce eggs with higher levels of Vitamin D. ⁴ Fatty fish, like salmon and trout, are good sources of vitamin D, both when eating the fish and also by taking fish oil supplements. ²

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References:

1. (2024, July 26). Vitamin D. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/#h17
2. (2025, February 20). The Health Benefits of Sunshine. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-much-sunshine-you-need-daily
3. (2016, December 8). FDA Grants Regulatory Discretion for Milk with More Vitamin D. International Dairy Foods Association. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://www.idfa.org/news/fda-grants-regulatory-discretion-for-milk-with-more-vitamin-d
4. (2025, April 24). Vitamin D Deficiency. PoultryDVM. Retrieved April 24, 2025, from https://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/vitamin-d-deficiency