Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is vital for our health and well-being. It helps in the absorption of calcium, promotes bone growth, and maintains a healthy immune system.
Many people, however, struggle to get enough vitamin D through diet and sunlight alone, particularly in areas with limited sun exposure. Fortunately, taking vitamin D supplements can help with this.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the best vitamin D supplements, highlighting their benefits and help you make an informed decision about which one to choose for better health and stronger immunity.
What Makes For Quality Vitamin D Supplements?
Even though vitamins seem the same across the board, there are a number of distinguishing characteristics about each one. You’ll find even more when discussing these things with a medical professional. This is what we did and we found the best vitamin D supplements you can get with the following criteria:
- Purity – The best vitamins will have tight standards on the quality and purity of the vitamins from the manufacturer. This ensures there isn’t anything additional that would weaken the effect or it is pointless to the consumer.
- Nutrients – Even though this is vitamin D, there are other nutrients incorporated in these supplements.
- Natural – Even though it’s a vitamin, many companies put in ingredients that are unnecessary such as fillers, artificial sweeteners, or colors. These supplements don’t have any of those.
- Trusted – Healthcare professionals such as doctors and dietitians recommend these products.
Best Liquid – Designs for Health Liposomal D Supreme
One of the best vitamin D supplements in liquid form are the Liposomal D Supreme from Designs for Health. Liposomes are tiny spheres of fat that are used as carriers for vitamin D and other nutrients. These are used in all kinds of supplements, but you’ll find them the most in liquid forms these days.
But the fact that it’s using liposomal means that the company can incorporate other vitamins into the mix. They did just that by adding in vitamins K1 and K2. Why this is a big deal is that vitamins K and D work very well together in your body. This means you’ll get an enhanced effect from the vitamin D side which is way better than taking an ordinary vitamin D supplement.
2500 IU Vitamin D3 + Vitamin K (K1 + K2) - Liposomes for Superior Absorption - Non-GMO Supplement (100 Servings / 1.7oz)
Best High Dose – Pure Encapsulation’s D3
For the best high dosage per capsule, look no further than Pure Encapsulations D3. Every capsule contains 10,000 IU of vitamin D3. This is for those who are severely low in vitamin D. That said, having too much vitamin D can cause some issues so if you are thinking about picking this up, consult with your healthcare provider first.
This is a solid option as Pure Encapsulation is a trusted brand that provides hypoallergenic and gluten-free vitamins. They’re also certified with the United States Pharmacopeia which has strict standards placed on supplements.
125 mcg (5,000 IU) | Supplement to Support Bone, Joint, Breast, Heart, Colon and Immune Health* | 120 Capsules
Alternative High Dose – Now Vitamin D3
If you’re looking for an alternative supplement,Now Foods brand is an excellent supplement brand to consider. As mentioned before, this supplement is designed for specific people in mind so be sure to check with your healthcare provider first before taking these.
As for why you might choose this one over the Pure Encapsulations is that it’s better for those on a budget.
5,000 IU, High Potency, Structural Support*, 240 Softgels
Best For Kids – Carlson Super Daily D3
With liquids being better for vitamin intake, one of the best options for kids is a liquid option. One brand that comes to mind is Carlson’s, a well-established brand amongst the rest of them. Each package contains 365 drops which make it great for a year. It’s also non-GMO, dairy-free, vegetarian and unflavored.
2,000 IU (50 mcg) per Drop, Vitamin D Drop, Immune Support, Heart Health, Liquid Vitamin D3, 1-Year Supply, Unflavored, 365 Drops
Best Chewables – Now Vitamin D3 Supplement Chewables
Chewables are another option for how people like to take their vitamins. While these are easier to handle, one of the big problems with chewables is that many of them contain sugar in them. While it can ensure you eat them, the problem with sugar in vitamins is that the sugar can be too high that you don’t receive any or little benefit. It’d be no different from eating candy.
Fortunately,Now Foods chewable vitamins found a unique way of getting around the sweetening aspect. They use xylitol and sorbitol which are sugar alcohols as well as natural vanilla and peppermint flavors. They’re sweet but don’t compromise the vitamin aspect.
The only thing to note is that since there are sugar alcohols, this can lead to some minor digestive problems. An upset stomach or diarrhea. This will happen if you’re consuming large amounts. Though you shouldn’t be getting to that point since a tablet contains 1,000 IU of D3.
1,000 IU, Natural Fruit Flavor, Structural Support*, 180 Chewables
Best Gummies – Nordic Nature Vitamin D3 Gummies
Gummies are another beloved choice for adults and kids alike, though they run into the same problems as chewables where there’s a lot of sugar.
For those wanting the most vitamin D3 and lower sugar, try out Nordic Naturals’ sugar-free vitamin D3 gummy. Similar to the Now Foods chewable, this is sweetened with xylitol and fruit and vegetable juice.
Wild Berry - 120 Gummies - 1000 IU Vitamin D3 - Great Taste - Healthy Bones, Mood & Immune System Function - Non-GMO - 120 Servings
Best Prenatal With High Vitamin D – SmartyPants Prenatal Complete
One interesting development that’s been made in the vitamin D field is that women pregnant or breastfeeding need more vitamin D than what many doctors have recommended in the past.[1] In the past, it was recommended to take 600 IU of vitamin D per day. Now experts are suggesting at least 4,000 IU per day for pregnant women. Women breastfeeding may need as much as 6,400 IU.
Because of this higher need, prenatal vitamin D supplements is a wise decision to get into as keeping to those D3 levels over the course of the day can provide many benefits to pregnant and breastfeeding women and their children.
One such supplement that’s helpful is from the Smarty Pants brand. These vitamins have C, D3, Zinc, Iron and are gluten-free.
Multivitamin: Vitamin C, D3, & Zinc for Immunity, Gluten Free, Folate, Omega 3 Fish Oil (DHA/EPA), 120 Count (30 Day Supply)
Best Drops – Bluebonnet Earth Sweet Liquid
Vitamin drops aren’t just for kids, there are many with adults in mind. This is another great option for those not into chewables or don’t want to take pills. That or you’re looking for better results from the vitamins that only liquids can provide.
One option that we found that is good for adults is the liquid vitamin D3 from Bluebonnet. They contain 5000 IU of vitamin D3. They are soy-free, gluten-free, non-GMO, Kosher, dairy-free, and vegetarian free.
5000 IU, Aids in Muscle and Skeletal Growth, D3, Non GMO, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Kosher, Citrus Flavor (743715003781), 1 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Alternative Drops – Thorne Research Vitamin D Drops
Another alternative drop for adults you can consider is from Thorne Research. Thorne is a trusted supplement brand that’s certified by the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA). The TGA is a regulatory agency that’s operated out of the Australian Department of Health.
Why this is a good alternative is that these drops contain vitamin K2. As mentioned before, vitamin K is helpful because it synergizes with vitamin D. While the IU is 1,000 for 2 drops, you’re getting the added benefit of extra potency from the vitamin K that you wouldn’t get from the other drops.
Supports Healthy Bones and Muscles, Cardiovascular Health, and Immune Function* - Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free - 1 Fl Oz (30 ml)- 600 Servings
Best Vegan Option – Doctor’s Best Vegan D3
One other big development in the vitamin D market is offering plenty of quality options for vegans. The big problem with the market is many D3 supplements on the market use ingredients from fish or sheep’s wool. Since vegan’s choice of living is to not consume any products that stem from animals, this doesn’t help.
One vitamin that came out was ergocalciferol. While it was an advance since the vitamin D came from yeast or mushrooms, the issue was those vitamins weren’t effective in producing quality vitamin D.
Thankfully, vegans don’t need to worry about this as much as many companies are stepping forward. One company that we found that provides quality vitamin D3 and is vegan is Doctor’s Best.
Their capsules’ main ingredient is vitashine D3 – a plant source of vitamin D3. This plant source is also sustainably harvested by registered members in the UK Vegan Society. It’s also gone through clinical trials as well to ensure they are quality.
2500IU with Vitashine D3, Non-GMO, Vegan, Gluten & Soy Free, Regulates Immune Function, Supports Healthy Bones, 60 Count
Bottom Line
Vitamin D can boost your immune system and improve your overall health and well-being. While we can obtain vitamin D from our diet and from sunlight, many people may benefit from vitamin D supplements.
The ten best vitamin D supplements listed in this article provide a variety of options to meet a variety of needs and preferences. For best results,consult with your healthcare provider before beginning any new supplement regimen and follow the recommended dosage instructions.
Featured photo credit: Ben White via unsplash.com
Reference
| [1] | ^ | Healthline: Pregnancy and Vitamin D |
