Tips for Meeting Your Vitamin D Needs While Indoors

Vitamin D is one of the oldest hormones thought to have existed for 750 million years. This hormone, which is in a different form on human skin, turns into vitamin D with the help of sunlight and the liver. It is important to recognize that we haven’t been getting enough sunlight, which is the best source of vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency is an important health issue in 50% of the world population. New research shows that vitamin D can help prevent various diseases, such as depression, diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps absorb calcium, promoting the growth and mineralization of our bones. Vitamin D also plays a role in various functions of the immune, digestive, circulatory, and nervous systems.

1. What is the Recommended Daily Intake of Vitamin D?

Vitamin D deficiency is a common condition and its prevalence varies by geography. Adult people who have an average level of vitamin D in the blood below 20 ng/dl have a vitamin D deficiency.

Tips for Meeting Your Vitamin D Needs While Indoors

Vitamin D requirements vary between 700-1300 mg/day, depending on age mostly. Getting to know vitamin D sources, and knowing how much we can consume, prevents vitamin D deficiency.

Oily seafood

Oily fish and seafood are natural sources of vitamin D. You can meet most of your daily vitamin D requirements with just 3.5 ounces (100 g-670 IU) of cooked salmon.

Vitamin D is also found in other natural sources, such as mackerel, herring, cod liver oil, and salmon.

Fish oil or cod oil meets 62% of your daily vitamin D needs (1 portion= 1 tsp 440 IU)

Tuna meets 32% of your daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion= 168 g 228 IU)



Mushrooms, just like humans, make their own D vitamins thanks to sunlight. Sunlight-like UV lamps used when producing mushrooms trigger vitamin D2 production. To avoid poisoning, buy the mushroom at the markets. Portobello mushrooms and mushrooms grown with UV light meet half the daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion=1/2 cup 316 IU)

Egg Yolk

Studies show that eggs obtained from chickens grown in pasture contain up to 20% of the daily vitamin D requirement.  In general, an egg meets 18% of your daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion= 78 g 44 IU)

Dairy Products

Dairy products are important sources of vitamin D due to the animal fat they contain.

Whole milk provides 18% of your daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion= 1 cup 128 IU)

Yogurt meets 17% of your vitamin D needs depending on its type.  (1 portion= 175 g  120 IU)

Dairy Products

Related: Facts About Dairy Foods

Products Enriched with Vitamin D

Other foods can be enriched with vitamin D because it’s generally in low supply.

Foods such as margarine, cheese, orange juice, soy-almond milk, bread, and cereal are enriched with vitamin D

Soy milk provides 16% of your daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion= 1 cup  116 IU)

Fortified ready-to-eat cereals meet an average of 7% of your daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion=1 cup 56 IU)

Fortified orange juice meets 14% of your daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion= 1 cup 100 IU)

Margarine meets 8.5% of your daily vitamin D needs. (1 portion= 1 tbsp 60 IU)

Some people may need much higher vitamin D doses to raise low vitamin D levels. A qualified healthcare professional must decide on this dose. Otherwise, there may be a risk of vitamin D toxicity.

Getting Vitamin D From Window

 2. Increasing Sunbathing Time

Vitamin D is called the “sunlight vitamin”. Our body needs sunlight to use vitamin D. Skin type, gender, clothing, nutrition, food supplement use, BMI, and degree of urbanization affect the level of vitamin D in the blood.

Skin color

 Melanin pigment in the skin blocks vitamin D. The need for vitamin D increases in people with darker skin because they have more melanin.


Vitamin D production is high in people who get direct sunlight. There are studies on the differences in vitamin D production in people living in tropical and cold climates.


Clothing styles that cover the face, arms, and hands can prevent enough vitamin D intake. Additional exposure to sunlight can increase your vitamin D intake. Just try to avoid the time when the sunlight is most dangerous, between 10 am and 3 pm.

Tips for Meeting Your Vitamin D Deficiency While Indoors

Getting help from supplements

The USDA listed the foods to which vitamin D could be added in 1980 and showed the market availability of these foods. The Food and Drug Administration has paved the way to enrich some foods with vitamin D. These foods are calcium-fortified juice, some cereal and pasta products, yogurt, and some cheese and cheese products. There are two forms of vitamin D: D2 (herbal) and D3 (animal). Supplements allow you to take the vitamin you need with a single dose, but you should consult your doctor. In rare cases, an overdose may occur, causing toxicity.


There are two types of vitamin D. Vitamin D2 is a herbal vitamin. If you are a vegan, you can buy vitamin D2 supplements from lichen or mushrooms at specialty stores.


Related: Importance of Getting Enough Vitamin D


Importance of Getting Enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, is one of the most essential vitamins for our bodies. Getting enough vitamin D has many health benefits but it is best known for assisting in calcium absorption and contributing to bone health. What is vitamin D level and why is it so important to our bodies?

Vitamin D is a nutrient that is contained in some foods and is one of the fat-soluble vitamins. Getting enough vitamin D is important for strong bones. It is a vital nutrient for the absorption of calcium, which is necessary for making bones. Adequate absorption of calcium protects older people from osteoporosis. In addition, getting vitamin D is essential for the movement of muscles, for carrying signals from the nerves to the whole body, and for the immune system to fight bacteria and viruses. Research shows that vitamin D has beneficial effects on ovarian, prostate, breast, and colon cancer. It has also been shown by studies that vitamin D has positive effects on the intestinal microbiome.

Importance of Getting Enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency can have negative effects on intestinal microbiota as well as causing diseases such as osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and rickets. All nutrients are essential, and they have major functions for our bodies. But vitamin D is vital because it helps maintain the bones that keep our bodies upright and standing. That’s why getting adequate amounts of vitamin D is crucial for us. But how much vitamin D do we need to take in per day?

The body’s need for vitamin D varies according to age. The amount required increases as we get older. When the level of vitamin D in the body drops too low, the bones become thin and brittle and may become deformed. It should be taken daily at different amounts according to age group.

Vitamin D should be taken daily at different amounts according to age group

Life Stage                                                        Recommended Amount

Birth to 12 months                                                                                10 mcg (400 IU)

Children 1-18 years                                                                               15 mcg (600 IU)

Adults 19-70 years                                                                                15 mcg (600 IU)

Elders 71 years +                                                                                   20 mcg (800 IU)

In nutrition, the main two forms of vitamin D are D3 and D2. Vitamin D3 is more crucial because it increases blood vitamin D levels more than vitamin D2. Vitamin D3 is found in animal products such as fatty fish and seafood and is also produced by our skin in direct sunlight and Vitamin D2 is found in vegetables.

First, let’s list the animal products that contain vitamin D.

Oily fish: Salmon, tuna, and mackerel contain high amounts of vitamin D. The health benefits from consuming these fish is much higher when the fish are raised in their natural environments. Try to ensure that they were not produced on a farm. Since these fish are already high in fats, oil is not needed when they are cooked in an oven.

Salmon, tuna and mackerel contain high amounts of vitamin D

Salmon, tuna and mackerel contain high amounts of vitamin D

Small amounts of vitamin D are also found in liver, egg yolks, and some cheeses. These foods can be included in our diet to help us reach the daily recommended intake for vitamin D.

Vitamin D2 can be found in mushrooms, and the level of vitamin D can be increased by keeping the mushrooms indirect sunlight. Unfortunately, other vegetables and fruits are not good sources of vitamin D..

Today, vitamin D is added to many popular foods, especially in the United States.  There are many options, ranging from orange juice to milk, from cheese to yogurt, and many portions of cereal are fortified with vitamin D as well. The goal is to prevent vitamin D deficiency by consuming these foods, but unfortunately, that is not the case. We also need sunlight for our bodies to use and produce vitamin D.

Is It Possible to Get Vitamin D from The Sun?

Food is not our only source of vitamin D. Our bodies can make it when exposed to the sun. UVB rays in the sunlight act on cholesterol in the skin to make vitamin D. Depending on the month, time of day, and our skin tone, spending time in the sun can provide us with some or all of our daily recommended intake of the vitamin. 

Importance of Getting Enough Vitamin D

Unfortunately, due to our lifestyles, increases in cases of vitamin D deficiency are on the rise. Much of our time is spent indoors, whether at work or in shopping malls or homes. This habit decreases our time in the sun and reduces our rate of vitamin D production. Even if we eat foods that contain vitamin D or take supplements, our bodies may not be able to utilize vitamin D properly. 

These studies indicate something important to us. Spending time outside in the sun increases the vitamin D in our bodies. For this reason, we should try to get direct sunlight at least a few days per week.

How Do We Know That We Have Vitamin D Deficiency?

If we have a vitamin D deficiency, symptoms will occur. Some of the symptoms that may present include:

How Do We Know That We Have Vitamin D Deficiency?


If it is difficult for you to get out of bed, even if you have slept enough or if you feel tired during the day, you may be experiencing vitamin D deficiency.


Feeling unhappy for no reason, a disinterest in socializing, not wanting to talk to people, or even make eye contact with them, may indicate a need for more vitamin D. 

More brittle bones

The most important nutrient to help our bodies absorb calcium is vitamin D. If there is a vitamin D deficiency, calcium absorption will be lessened, and this will result in more fragile bones.

Weight Gain

Weight gain

You are eating well but can’t seem to lose weight. This is an important symptom of vitamin D deficiency. A simple blood test can determine your vitamin D level. If it’s low, you should consume foods that are high in vitamin D. If necessary, consult a medical doctor who can guide you in taking vitamin D supplements. 

It is important to have your blood vitamin D level checked if you have been experiencing one or more of these conditions for a while. You should definitely share the results of the analysis with your doctor, and if necessary, begin taking supplements. While taking supplements, you can also spend more time outside on sunny days and increase your fish consumption to give your vitamin D level a boost.


Related: 4 Steps For a Healthier Diet