This 5-Minute Guide Breaks Down Vitamin D & Why It’s So Important

From there, be sure to protect yourself with nontoxic sunscreen. However, since many people can’t safely get enough exposure to move the needle (whether because of an indoor job or where in the world they live), the sun isn’t the only answer. And others seek to avoid cumulative sun exposure for other obvious skincare and health risk reasons.

A few foods also contain vitamin D, such as shiitake and button mushrooms (leave them in the sun to elevate their vitamin D levels), mackerel, sockeye salmon, cod liver oil, sardines, and eggs—but consuming them in high enough quantities to meet your nutritional requirements and move the needle on your 25(OH)D levels is a tall, tall order.

So what’s the solution? Vitamin D supplements, a key tool for most. I suggest choosing a high-quality, high-potency supplement that contains vitamin D3 (which is the body’s preferred form) and optimizes the fat-soluble absorption of this critical micronutrient.