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How To Get Enough Vitamin D As An Older Adult
Adults older than 70 should be getting at least 800 IU of vitamin D. However, some sources say you should consume up to 1000 IU of vitamin D past the age of 70. As stated previously, our body’s ability to naturally convert sunlight to vitamin D decreases with age. These products will say this on their labels if they have been fortified.
Additionally, you can purchase supplements or vitamins that contain large amounts of vitamin D. Often, the pill forms of vitamin D are large and can be difficult to swallow.
1. Vitamin D Boosts Senior Happiness And Mental Health
Vitamin D improves senior mental health, combating prevalent issues like elderly depression. Study participants with the least amount of vitamin D reported more pronounced mental health concerns.
As a result of this emerging science, researchers continue to investigate a potential vitamin D antidepressant.
My Recommended Daily Dose For Vitamin D In Older Adults
For most older adults, I recommend a supplement of vitamin D 1000 IU/day. Vitamin D seems to be involved in muscle function.
Some research has suggested it can help reduce falls, other research hasn’t confirmed this finding. Research suggests that taking vitamin D 1000 IU/day will prevent low vitamin D levels in most older adults. For instance, in 2010 the Institute of Medicine published a report with age-based Recommended Daily Allowances for vitamin D in “normal healthy persons.” For people aged 1-70, they recommended 600 IU/day.
I call this the “healthy aging” dose of daily vitamin D.
For people who are already taking a multivitamin or calcium supplement, they should check to see how much vitamin D is already included, as they may already be getting 1000 IU from those supplements.
How Do People Get Vitamin D?
Scientists define vitamins as organic compounds that are vital for normal metabolic function that must be consumed because they cannot be produced in the body. Vitamin D, however, is a little bit different from other vitamins because it is produced by the body in a chemical reaction that occurs when the skin is exposed to UVB rays from sunlight.
Diet helps but, according to the Endocrine Society, most people only get about 10 percent of their nutritional requirement for vitamin D from the food they eat.