Skip to content
Integrative Health
|expert reviewed

The 8 Best Vitamin D Supplements For Immunity, Bone Health & More*

Lauren Del Turco, CPT
Written by
Lauren Del Turco, CPT
Lauren Del Turco, CPT is a freelance health and wellness writer, editor, and content strategist who covers everything from nutrition to mental health to spirituality.
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN
Expert review by
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN
mbg Vice President of Scientific Affairs
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN is Vice President of Scientific Affairs at mindbodygreen. She received her bachelor's degree in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania and Ph.D. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia.
Image by K-Angle / iStock
Last updated on March 31, 2022

In This Article

1
Quick list
2
The best vitamin d supplements
3
What to look for
4
Benefits
5
Takeaway
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

Vitamin D is a big topic right now—and considering an alarming 41% of American adults meet the criteria for insufficiency (meaning they have levels lower than 30 ng/ml) and 93% of U.S. adults aren't even getting 400 IU of this essential fat-soluble vitamin from their daily diet, it's well-deserving of the attention.

Given how tricky (OK, more like impossible) 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.

Quick list:

Our Favorite Vitamin D Supplements

best overall: mindbodygreen vitamin D3 potency+

$30
Offering 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 per single gelcap serving, mbg's vitamin D3 potency+ is derived from organic algae, the highest quality plant source available. It also features a unique trio of organic virgin oils (from avocados, flaxseed, and olives) to drive optimal vitamin D absorption, in addition to delivering healthy omega-3 and omega-9 fatty acids with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pro-metabolic health properties. Just one gelcap of this one-of-a-kind formulation daily promotes vitamin D sufficiency for life. This is the latest in vitamin D technology (plus, GMO-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free).*
mindbodygreen vitamin D3 potency bottle

Best vegan: Truvani Vitamin D3 from Organic Lichens

$16.99
A lower potency dose (2,000 IU) and sourced from organic lichens, Truvani's vitamin D3 supplement comes in the form of an uncoated tablet. It's completely vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. Though it's plenty small enough to swallow easily, you can also crush it up or dissolve it into smoothies or other foods. It's also free of corn byproducts, artificial ingredients, and other unnecessary additives, but you will find organic tapioca, rice hulls, and acacia fiber.
bottle of Truvani Vitamin D3

Best chewable: NOW Chewable Vitamin D3 5,000 IU

$14.99
If you have trouble swallowing supplements, this option from NOW comes in a tasty chewable form with a natural mint flavor. To address most people's high vitamin D needs given lack of sun exposure and limited food sources high in the nutrient, this supplement provides 5,000 IU of D3. (FYI: A little natural color variation may occur; nothing to worry about!) Some folks have GI considerations with sugar alcohols, so we'll mention that those are in this formula, just in case.
bottle of NOW chewable vitamin D3

Best gummy for kids: Nature Made Kids First Vitamin D Gummies

$14.99
These strawberry-, peach-, and mango-flavored gummies provide kids from ages four to 18 with 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 to support healthy bone and tooth development.* Made with natural fruit flavors and colors derived from natural sources, they're free of high-fructose corn syrup, gluten, artificial flavors, and artificial sweeteners. This is a nutrition ritual that kids look forward to!
bottle of Nature Made kids vitamin D3 gummies

Best liquid for babies: Nordic Naturals Baby's Vitamin D3

$15.95
Third-party purity tested and non-GMO verified, Nordic Naturals' liquid vitamin D3 formula for babies offers 400 IU of D3 per serving. Made with organic extra-virgin olive oil, it's free from gluten, milk derivatives, and anything artificial—and comes with a measured dropper so it can be easily added to formula or breast milk. This pick also just so happens to be the official baby's vitamin D3 supplement pick of the American Pregnancy Association.
dropper bottle of Nordic Naturals baby vitamin D

Best D3+K2 combo: Sports Research Plant-Based D3+K2

$23
Sports Research's unique plant-based supplement combines 5,000 IU of vegan vitamin D3 from lichen with 100 mcg of vitamin K2 derived from chickpeas, plus virgin coconut oil, in a plant-based capsule. The end result: a vegan certified and non-GMO combo supplement. Note: While D3 and K2 are not combined for absorption reasons (common misconception), they are both awesome fat-soluble vitamins.
bottle of Sports Research plant-based D3 K2 supplement

Best fermented: MegaFood Vitamin D3 2,000 IU

$33.72
MegaFood's vitamin D3 supplement provides 2,000 IU of fermented cholecalciferol, plus a blend of organic whole foods that provide synergistic cofactors, which includes organic broccoli, parsley, carrot, and beet root. In all, the supplement is free from glyphosate residue, gluten, dairy, and soy, and is Non-GMO Project verified and vegetarian, making it a versatile option for upping your vitamin D intake.
bottle of MegaFood vitamin D

Best extra high-potency: Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3 10,000 IU

$22.10
If you're in need of extra-high doses of vitamin D, Pure Encapsulations' D3 supplement offers 10,000 IU per serving. This vegetarian, non-GMO, certified gluten-free option is a simple but potent supplement for supporting bone health and more.*
bottle of Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3

What to look for in a vitamin D supplement.

We've hand-selected the products featured here and recommend them wholeheartedly.

That said, we also want to give you the know-how to look for your own vitamin D supplements—or, at the very least, help you understand our selection process.

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:

  • Adults should look for a minimum of 2,000 I.U. per day (5,000 I.U. daily is best, but even more might be necessary if the person has higher body fat or if an individual's D deficiency is stubborn)* Note: Infants need 400 I.U. of vitamin D per day, while 1,000 I.U. daily is a healthy vitamin D dose for children and adolescents.
  • Opt for vitamin D3 form (cholecalciferol), which is two to three times more potent than D2 (ergocalciferol).
  • For animal-source D3, look for lanolin (derived from sheep's wool), which is high quality and affordable.
  • For vegetarian or vegan D3 sources, look for algae or lichen (though algae is considered to be more sustainable, and organic algae is the most premium option).
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

The benefits of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is crucial for whole-body health, interacting with the musculoskeletal, immune, neurological, thyroid, gastrointestinal, renal, endocrine, and cardiovascular systems, among others.*

A few of vitamin D's noteworthy roles, in particular, that are worth calling out:

  1. It helps regulate the production of thyroid hormones.*
  2. During pregnancy, it promotes better maternal and infant outcomes related to bone density, immune function, fetal growth, maternal metabolic health, and more.*
  3. It supports immunity, promoting white blood cell function, helping the immune system adapt to and ward off threats, and more.*
  4. It does your gut good by playing a key role in the health and integrity of the gut mucosal lining.*
  5. It helps the body absorb and maintain the proper balance of calcium and phosphorus, which are both crucial for bone health.*
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.

The takeaway.

Supplementing with vitamin D is a simple (and typically necessary) way to ensure you get the daily vitamin D you need to hit and maintain healthy vitamin D status for life.*

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.


If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.
Advertisement
This ad is displayed using third party content and we do not control its accessibility features.
Lauren Del Turco, CPT
Lauren Del Turco, CPT

Lauren Del Turco, CPT is a freelance health and wellness writer, editor, and content strategist who covers everything from nutrition to mental health to spirituality. Del Turco is also an ACE-certified personal trainer. She graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing. When she’s not on deadline, you’ll find Del Turco hiking with her dogs, experimenting with new plant-based recipes, or curled up with a book and tea.