Treat Your Body Right with the Best Vitamin D3

Premium Vitamin D3 Buyer’s Guide

Now you’ve had time to browse our list of vitamin D3 suggestions, check out the rest of our buying guide for everything you need to know about these supplements.

What does vitamin D3 do?

Vitamin D3 is known to boost immunity, help strengthen bones, improve heart function, and have anti-inflammatory effects. Vitamin D3 is also believed to improve mood. 

• Immunity - some studies show that vitamin D3 may boost your immunity against pneumonia and respiratory infections.
• Heart health - vitamin D3 has been shown to lower blood pressure which is better for your heart if your blood pressure is high.
• Anti-inflammatory - as well as having anti-inflammatory properties, vitamin D3 reduces the amount your body reacts to allergens. This is great for those who suffer from asthma and eczema
• Mood - although more studies are needed, some studies have found that most depressed people are lacking in vitamin D. A possibility for this is that a lack of vitamin D may be one of the causes of depression.

What foods contain vitamin D3?

Many foods naturally provide some vitamin D3. However, many foods do not provide your recommended daily amount of vitamin D3. In some cases, it would be difficult to eat enough of a certain type of food to achieve the desired intake of the vitamin.

Vitamin D3 can be found in beef liver, butter, butter, cereal, cheese, egg yolks, fresh salmon, halibut, mackerel, fortified milk, sardines, trout, and tuna. Cod Liver Oil contains the highest concentration of vitamin D3, with 170% of your recommended daily allowance in one tablespoon.

Sunlight also makes your body produce vitamin D3. Getting some sunlight will assist in maintaining your levels of vitamin D3. However, sun exposure comes with its risks. Such as damaged skin cells, cancer, and premature aging.

Things to consider when choosing vitamin D3 supplements

There are numerous things to consider when choosing vitamin D3 supplements. These include:

Vegan or vegetarian alternatives

Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is found in animals and is processed by the liver and kidneys before becoming active in the body. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) has the same properties as vitamin D3 but doesn’t stay in your system for as long. 

Vitamin D2 is found in vegetables, and if you are vegan or vegetarian, this is a good alternative to D3. You will also find small amounts of vitamin D2 in mushrooms, and fortified soy, oat, or almond milk. Occasionally, vitamin D3 tablets are vegan, but always check the label as most of the time it is made from wool, which is not vegan.

USP verified

The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention is a not-for-profit organization that regulates the quality of supplements. Supplements aren’t monitored by the FDA who gives food a seal of approval before it can legally be sold. Unlike the FDA, it is not a legal necessity for supplements to be monitored by the USP. 

By buying a supplement with the USP seal of approval you are ensuring your vitamins contain accurate labeling about both the ingredients and their potencies. USP-approved products also do not contain harmful levels of contaminants and were made with FDA-approved guidelines and procedures.

Some supplements may not be absorbable by the human body. Choosing USP verified products ensures they are absorbable.

Vitamin D3 or D2

Some vitamin D tablets might be mostly vitamin D2 which as we mentioned earlier does not stay in our systems for as long as vitamin D3. So if something is simply labeled vitamin D make sure you are buying vitamin D3 supplements.

Potency

Some vitamin D3 tablets have as little as 5 micrograms per serving. This is negligible in comparison to some more potent vitamin D3 tablets containing up to 75 milligrams per serving. Most people feel the benefit of vitamin D tablets at the 25 micrograms per serving mark.

Capsule size

Choose vitamin D3 supplements that come in a small capsule size, so they are easy to swallow. Avoid chewable tablets, powders, and liquids as these have added sugar. However, if you struggle to swallow tablets, one of the other forms of vitamins is a viable option despite the excess sugar.

Multivitamins

You can buy vitamin D tablets on their own, or you can buy multivitamins that provide some or all of the vitamins and minerals you need. Buying multivitamins is often a cheaper option than buying each vitamin supplement individually. 

If you take your vitamins individually you run the risk of missing some vitamins out. If you only need to take one tablet that contains all the vitamins you need, it is easier to remember.

Packaging

Choose vitamins that come in recyclable packaging. If you can be eco-friendly at no extra cost to yourself, why not do it?

Buy online

Buying your vitamin D3 online is great because you will have more options to choose from. You will also save yourself time going out to the shops, and have them delivered straight to your door.

How we choose the best vitamin tablets

To choose the best vitamin D3 tablets, we consider how much vitamin D3 was present per portion. We only choose vitamins without any harmful additives and choose products with full disclosure of the ingredients. We choose tablets that are easy to swallow and have good value for money.