Getting enough vitamin D is downright difficult—even if you eat a well-balanced diet and spend time in the sun (safely, of course). In fact, 41% of U.S. adults are vitamin D insufficient, while a whopping 29% are straight-up deficient.
That’s why double-board-certified integrative medicine doctor Amy Shah, M.D., recommends vitamin D supplementation to achieve (and maintain) sufficiency.*
“Vitamin D deficiency is ridiculously common,” Shah previously told mbg. “Although you can obtain D from the sun, it’s often not enough, especially if you are dark-skinned. Though some foods like oily fish and fortified milk contain vitamin D, I recommend supplementing with at least 5,000 IU a day.”
That said, not just any vitamin D supplement will do.