Have you considered taking a Vitamin D supplement? Why is Vitamin D getting so much attention?

Vitamin D is credited with a variety of benefits. It’s known to improve mood, support calcium absorption, and prevent hypertension, osteoporosis and some forms of cancer. If you don’t get enough Vitamin D, you may be vulnerable to diabetes, cardiovascular problems, rickets, and osteoporosis.

Many Americans don’t get enough Vitamin D. Because most Americans wear sunscreen and avoid time in the sun, they don’t get the amount of Vitamin D needed.

But how much is too much, and what are the recommended amounts of Vitamin D? The answer is somewhere between 200 IU (International Units) and 2000 IU, depending on who you talk to. You don’t want to take more than 2000 IU a day because Vitamin D can be toxic at doses higher than 2000 IU. Most doctors say you should keep your dosage to around 1000 IU a day.

But what are good sources of Vitamin D? One natural source of Vitamin D is sunshine. In fact, you can get your baseline level of Vitamin D (about 200 IU) from spending just ten minutes in direct sunlight. Some doctors suggest getting abut twenty minutes of unprotected sunlight before you apply SPF30 sunscreen, just to increase the amount of Vitamin D in your system. Other doctors say the risk of sunburn, skin cancer, and skin damage isn’t worth the benefits; these doctors suggest you find another way to get your Vitamin D.

You can take Vitamin D supplements (but be careful not to overdose). Check your multivitamin to see how much Vitamin D it delivers. Drink orange juice and milk fortified with Vitamin D. Eat eggs and fish, and try good old fashioned cod liver oil for a natural dose of Vitamin D.

Check with your doctor during your next check up, asking if you should be concerned about your intake of Vitamin D.