Who Should Take Vitamin D Supplements?

And who probably shouldn’t bother

Photo by Johen Redman on Unsplash

Imagine a vitamin that could enhance your immune system, reduce the risk of fractures, reduce the symptoms of depression, and perhaps even support your gains in the gym.

Now imagine it’s completely free, produced by your body when you're exposed to sunlight, and yet, somehow, half the world’s population have low levels of it.

Yep, we’re talking about vitamin D.

It’s not a sexy supplement like creatine or a fat burner with flames on the label. But it is important, and often misunderstood.

So, who actually needs to supplement with vitamin D? Is it everyone? Just the elderly or gym bros who never see the sun?

Or is the hype overblown?

Let’s dig into it!

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is technically a hormone as well as a nutrient. Some foods naturally contain vitamin D, such as fatty fish, egg yolks, and liver. Other foods, like milk and cereals, are fortified with vitamin D.

Vitamin D is more than just one vitamin; it’s a family of nutrients that shares similarities in chemical structure. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) are the most common; D3 is only found…