One of the many nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy is vitamin D, aka the “sunshine vitamin.” It helps our bodies absorb calcium for bone health and strength and also plays a role in muscle function and our immune system.

But getting our daily dose isn’t as simple as just stepping outside every now and then. By some estimations, about one billion people worldwide actually don’t get enough (guidelines recommend that adults get at least 600 IU of vitamin D daily, and more if you’re over 70), and a deficiency could lead to things like bone pain and muscle weakness. Keep reading for three ways to reach and maintain adequate levels of vitamin D.

Sources: 

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/pubs/usdandb/VitaminD-Content.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4143492/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3068797/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15050-vitamin-d--vitamin-d-deficiency