Vitamin D Supplement Optimal Timing: Unveiling the Best Time to Take Your Vitamin D?

How often to take each supplement and prescription

It might be challenging to remember when and how often to take each supplement and prescription if you need to manage a number of them. People are curious as to the best time of day to take their D vitamin supplements, also known as “the sunshine vitamin D,” or D vitamin. earliest hours of the morning? before going to bed? Exactly when and why is the optimal time to take vitamin D?

Benefits of Vitamin D

According to Keri Gans, M.S., R.D., registered dietitian and author of The Small Change Diet, D vitamin is a fat-soluble vitamin that aids in the body’s absorption of calcium, which supports bone development. Health is beneficial. It might also have a significant impact on our immune system and lower our risk of heart disease.

D Vitamin comes in two forms: vitamin D2 is obtained from fortified foods and mushrooms, and vitamin D3 is created in the skin when exposed to sunlight (thus the nickname “sunshine vitamin“). is!) According to registered dietitian Chrissy Arsenault, MBA, R.D.N., L.D., it can also be found in animal-based diets.

According to Arsenault, benefits of vitamin D include:

• Helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, which are minerals needed to build and maintain strong bones and teeth.
• Supports immunity—D Vitamin was often promoted for its benefits during the pandemic
• Helps contribute to muscle strength and reduce the risk of falls in older adults
• Helps reduce inflammation in the body

What amount of vitamin D is required each day?

According to Gans, the optimal time to take any vitamin is when you will remember. In other words, there is no ideal time to take it; you can do so whenever it suits your schedule. In order to avoid forgetting to take it, Arsenault often advises clients to take it right before bed or first thing in the morning—”consistency is key when supplementing.”

The typical adult’s daily value (DV) of D vitamin is 20 mcg (800 IU, or international unit), according to the National Institutes of Health, explains Arsenault. “Please keep in mind that depending on your lifestyle and diet, your specific needs may be higher or lower.”

According to Gans, your daily dose should be closer to 800 IU if you are 70 years of age or older.

What time of day is ideal for taking vitamin D?

Given that D vitamin is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is best absorbed by the body when taken with a meal that contains fat, whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, according to Gans.

Who needs to take supplements of vitamin D?

According to Arsenault, anyone can benefit from taking vitamin D supplements for their immunity and other health benefits. However, the following individuals would gain the most from D vitamin supplements:

• People who live in cold regions, experience prolonged winters, or have limited exposure to sunlight where they are not outside enough to absorb Vitamin D3
• Natural production of Vitamin D3 is reduced due to increased melanin levels in the skin of people with dark skin
• Older Adults – Our skin’s ability to naturally produce Vitamin D3 declines with age.
• People who have a medical condition or have had surgery that can affect fat absorption, as vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin
• people who consume a plant-based diet, as most sources of vitamin D come from animal-based foods

Choose a brand that has a 3rd-party certification

Overall, you should choose a brand that has a 3rd-party certification to ensure that what the ingredient label says on the package is what is one-hundred percent inside the vitamin, suggests Gans. “Also, I would opt for D vitamin in the form of D3 (cholecalciferol) which is more readily available to the body compared to D2 (ergocalciferol).”

Before purchasing a new supplement, Gans suggests getting your D vitamin levels checked and then discussing with your primary care physician or registered dietitian nutritionist a recommended dose.

No one enjoys taking pills, so Arsenault recommends gummy forms of D vitamin, since these are tastier to take and like an indulgent treat while meeting your nutritional needs. “There are plenty of brands out there that offer gummy vitamins including vitafusion which is the #1 adult gummy vitamin brand, Nature Made, and OLLY, to name a few.”