Avocados, nuts, seeds, full fat dairy products, and eggs are nutritious sources of fat that help boost your vitamin D absorption. Studies indicate that having vitamin D with a large meal or source of fat can significantly increase absorption.
Unfortunately, no fruits are high in vitamin D, and fortified orange juice is currently the only fruit product commonly sold with vitamin D.
Nope, no vitamin D here. But bananas do contain plenty of magnesium. And guess what? Among the many reasons you need magnesium is that once your vitamin D is in your bloodstream, the magnesium puts it to work, making magnesium a must-have in order for you to access the many benefits of vitamin D.
Therefore, conditions that affect the gut and digestion, like celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis, can reduce vitamin D absorption.
So, if you're taking your Vitamin D supplement at breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you can pair it with a food containing healthy fat. Try eating avocado, whole eggs, fatty fish, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, or full-fat dairy with your supplement to improve Vitamin D absorption.
Sunlight is actually the most efficient way to get your daily recommended dose of vitamin D, as your skin is quite effective at producing it naturally when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun. For most adults, ten to twenty minutes in direct sunlight is enough to absorb enough vitamin D for the day.
Dean. "Adequate levels of magnesium in the body are essential for the absorption and metabolism not only of vitamin D but of calcium as well," Dean states. "Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form so that it can help calcium absorption.
You can become deficient in vitamin D for different reasons: You don't get enough vitamin D in your diet. You don't absorb enough vitamin D from food (a malabsorption problem) You don't get enough exposure to sunlight.
In general, the two main causes of vitamin D deficiency are: Not getting enough vitamin D in your diet and/or through sunlight. Your body isn't properly absorbing or using vitamin D.
Your digestive tract cannot adequately absorb vitamin D.
Certain medical problems, including Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease can affect your intestine's ability to absorb vitamin D from the food you eat.
Second, avocados help your body better absorb fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K. When choosing foods high in these nutrients, adding a little avocado can help your body hang on to the them.
“Eggs might be able to help keep vitamin D levels high to lower the risk of disease, maintain strong bones and teeth, as well as lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. Eggs are a highly nutritious food and should be included daily as part of a healthy and balanced diet,” said Dr Mansberg.
Fortified Milk Offers a Double Whammy: Vitamin D and Calcium
Fortified plant-based milks, such as soy and almond, can provide similar amounts of vitamin D. Enjoy a cold 8 oz glass of your preferred fortified milk straight, blend it into a smoothie, or use it to whip up your choice of coffee drink.
With a serve of two eggs providing 82% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin D, eggs contain one of the highest quantities of vitamin D of any food.
Mushrooms
Other than fortified foods, mushrooms are the only sufficient non-animal source of vitamin D. Like humans, mushrooms can synthesize vitamin D when exposed to UV light ( 22 ).
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].
Magnesium assists in the activation of vitamin D, which helps regulate calcium and phosphate homeostasis to influence the growth and maintenance of bones. All of the enzymes that metabolize vitamin D seem to require magnesium, which acts as a cofactor in the enzymatic reactions in the liver and kidneys.
We recommend taking it with a source of quality fat in the morning or when you break your fast. Avoid taking vitamin D in the evening (we'll talk about why below). Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin—meaning it doesn't dissolve in water—your body can most easily absorb it when you take it with food.
Vitamin D3 supplements are thought to raise vitamin D levels in the bloodstream in around 24 hours. However, it takes up to 7 days for this to be converted into the active form of vitamin D – which is what a blood test will pick up.
Consumption of vitamin D supplements without enough magnesium can lead to problems such as vascular calcification. Calcification happens when calcium builds up in body tissue, blood vessels, or organs and vascular calcification refers to build-up in the arteries and veins.
MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE – The Best Absorbed Form of Magnesium.
And if you're routinely consuming refined grains in lieu of whole grains, you may be short on dietary magnesium, which ultimately affects your vitamin D levels. If you choose to supplement with magnesium, "taking less than 300 mg of magnesium for men and 270 mg for women is generally recommended," Sasse says.
The sun is usually strongest between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. In the summer, a person does not need to be out in the sun for very long during this period to make enough vitamin D.