Vitamin D Deficiency: The #1 Mistake You’re Making

You might be doing everything right-taking a vitamin D supplement, drinking milk, eating salmon and soaking up midday rays. On the surface, it seems like you’ve got your vitamin D bases covered. Yet almost 25% of people in the united States are running low. vitamin D plays far more roles in the body than you may realize.

“While its claim to fame is frequently enough associated with the role it plays in protecting bone health through helping the body absorb calcium, that’s not all you need vitamin D for,” says Elizabeth Shaw, M.S., RDN, CPT. “It’s also involved in interaction in the body, muscle movement and immune health. In fact,you need vitamin D to help kick free radicals out of your body,like the common cold and flu,so you can stay healthy.”

Even if you’re taking a vitamin D supplement like clockwork every day, you still might not be absorbing enough. According to experts, the biggest mistake people are making is choosing the wrong form of vitamin D. So, which one should you be choosing? Here, we break down the differences between the two types of vitamin D and which one you should be reaching for.

The Difference Between Vitamin D2 and D3

When you look at vitamin D supplements options, you may notice two forms available: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. While both can help raise and maintain vitamin D levels, they come from diffrent sources and your bVitamin D plays multiple critical roles in health, from supporting strong bones to bolstering immune health to aiding with muscle movement.When levels run low, it may lead to weakened immunity, fatigue, or low mood. That’s why choosing the right form of vitamin D is so significant.

How to Choose the Right Vitamin D Supplement

Here are a few expert-backed tips to help guide you towards picking up the right vitamin D supplement.

• Look for independently tested brands: Start by choosing a supplement verified by a trusted autonomous testing organization. “Labels from testing organizations,like NSF certified or USP,mean you know what’s on the label is in the bottle,” says Shaw. This helps ensure you’re choosing a safe, high-quality option.
• Choose D3: Check that the supplement is in D3 form. “It should read ‘cholecalciferol’ if it has the D3 form,” Shaw points out.
• Find vegan-kind D3: If you’re vegan, look for an algae-derived vitamin D3 supplement, since most D3 supplements are derived from lanolin (sheep’s wool), says Ryan.
• Pick a form you’ll take consistently: Softgels and liquid drops are both good options; choose the form you’ll take most comfortably and consistently, advises Taub-Dix. and “check with your healthcare provider to determine what dose is right for you,” she adds.
• Pair it with fat in your diet: Once you’ve found a tried and true supplement, don’t forget to pair it with fat. “Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, I always remind people to pair these foods with a source of healthy fat to support absorption,” says Shaw.

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