And considering an alarming 41% of American adults1 meet the criteria for insufficiency (meaning they have levels lower than 30 ng/ml) and approximately 92% of men and more than 97% of women aren’t even getting 400 IU2 of this essential fat-soluble vitamin from their daily diet, it’s well-deserving of the attention. Given how tricky it is to get ample amounts of the nutrient from food and sunlight alone, taking a supplement is ultimately the route to achieving and sustaining an ideal vitamin D level—which is 50 ng/ml or higher—for life.* The thing is, though, that all vitamin D supplements are not created equal. In fact, they’re far from it. Here are our top picks for getting the high-quality vitamin D you need (and in ample amounts) from your supplement routine. A few of vitamin D’s noteworthy roles, in particular, that are worth calling out: Our team ensures that each supplement product is thoughtfully formulated–from the active ingredients to those “Other ingredient” excipients too. We are highly preferential towards clean formulas that are plant-centric (and oftentimes vegan or vegetarian) as well as free of GMOs, gluten, soy, dairy, major food allergens, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, synthetic dyes, and more. Overall, we recommend products with clean ingredients at efficacious doses in bioactive forms. Whenever possible, we celebrate and elevate plant-origin (i.e., plant-sourced) ingredients from a variety of botanicals. Ingredient source and innovation are top of mind for our critical reviews and selection of supplement products. We prioritize forward-thinking formulations and delivery formats that are genuinely helpful in transforming your health. We included vitamin d supplement brands and products that prioritize quality. This includes robust manufacturing practices and comprehensive purity and potency testing. You can learn more about mindbodygreen supplements+ manufacturing and quality testing practices here. That said, we also want to give you the know-how to look for your own vitamin D supplements. Here are a few must-have criteria when searching for a vitamin D supplement, according to mbg vice president of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN: Consult with your health care provider to identify your unique needs and goals, but know that these hand-selected supplements are a great place to start.
