Doctors have been using outdated vitamin D guidelines for years. Now, we know just how much to get for optimal health and disease prevention.
Did you know you can walk into a diagnostic testing center and get almost any lab test without a doctor ordering it? You can get tests for testosterone, thyroid, cortisol, allergies, and prostate. You can even get paternity testing, in case you're wondering why your kid is super cute when you're super ugly.
These centers have names like Any Lab Test Now, LabCorp, and Quest Diagnostics. They're great resources for biohackers and people who don't need a doctor to read their test results.
Here's one test you should get: 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D. It'll cost you as little as $59, and it could change your life... if you know what you're looking for.
Here's the problem with vitamin D testing: Based on current standards, the test may say that your vitamin D levels are normal when they're actually substandard. According to many researchers, we need higher blood levels than we once thought. Here's why and what to do about it.
25-Hydroxy Vitamin D and You
When you get a vitamin D test, the technician draws some blood, sends it off, and shoots you a report. Usually, this report provides ranges indicating whether your numbers are deficient, insufficient, optimal, or too high. These numbers are usually reported in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).
The problem? Traditionally, doctors thought about vitamin D in terms of musculoskeletal health. They took a "bone-centric" approach. If you had enough vitamin D to prevent brittle bones, your levels were considered healthy.
But a new, long-overdue review in the journal Nutrients reminds us that vitamin D goes way beyond bone health. It's vital for brain function, mental health, immunity, diabetes prevention, cancer prevention, and cardiovascular health.
In a nutshell, the authors said that while 30 ng/mL (considered healthy and normal) is a good start, 40-70 ng/mL is even better if you want to significantly reduce the risk of major diseases and early death. Those higher blood levels of vitamin D are linked to...
- Lower chance of cancer death (25% lower)
- Lower stroke risk
- Lower dementia risk
- Lower autoimmune disease risk
- Lower breast cancer incidence (by 77%)
- Much greater chance of having healthy pregnancies
The review's authors said health experts should update their guidelines to include all of vitamin D's benefits, not just bone health.
How to Use This Info
The study suggests adults take 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily to get blood levels to 30 ng/mL. For even better protection, take 4,000 to 6,000 IU daily to push levels to 40-70 ng/mL. These doses are safe for most people and much higher than outdated guidelines recommend (600-800 IU).
However, some people appear to be "non-responders" to vitamin D supplementation and even sunlight. Several things can cause this:
To ensure vitamin D absorption (even with the issues above), use the microencapsulated form containing Labrasol, a non-ionic surfactant that enhances the absorption and bioavailability of drugs and certain supplements, like vitamin D.
D Fix High Absorption Vitamin D (Buy at Amazon) contains 5000 IU per softgel and uses this form. Used daily, one bottle lasts three months.
What About Toxicity (High Calcium Levels, Kidney Issues)?
It's difficult to get too much vitamin D, even when taking supplements. You'd have to overdose for months at a time. But, generally, between 125 and 150 ng/mL is considered too high. Ensuring you get enough vitamin K2 could reduce the risks of taking very large amounts of vitamin D, since K2 supports calcium regulation.
But, based on the study above, we seem to get all the benefits of vitamin D without exceeding 70 ng/mL. Curious about your levels? Go order a test. No doctor needed.
Reference
- Grant, et al. Vitamin D: Evidence-Based Health Benefits and Recommendations for Population Guidelines, Nutrients 2025 Jan 14;17(2):277. doi: 10.3390/nu17020277.