Vitamin D

Vitamin D

“To absorb calcium, your body also needs vitamin D.
Some foods naturally contain small amounts of vitamin D,
such as canned salmon with bones, tuna and egg yolks”.1

Definition

What is vitamin D?

Depending on the Source (DotS) the definition of vitamin D may vary. The (United States) Office of Dietary Supplements’ (ODS) definition is:

“Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus, which are needed for bone development and strength. It’s also important for cell growth, a healthy immune system, hormone function and nervous system regulation”.2

Sources of Vitamin D

What are sources of vitamin D?

In Vitamin D: What Foods Provide Vitamin D? the ODS explain:

“Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Fortified foods provide most of the vitamin D in the diets of people in the United States. Check the Nutrition Facts label for the amount of vitamin D in a food or beverage.

  • Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with about 3 mcg (120 IU) vitamin D per cup. Many plant-based alternatives such as soy milk, almond milk, and oat milk are similarly fortified. But foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified
  • Vitamin D is added to many breakfast cereals and to some brands of orange juice, yogurt, margarine, and other food products
  • Fatty fish (like trout, salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best natural sources of vitamin D
  • Beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese have small amounts of vitamin D
  • Mushrooms provide a little vitamin D. Some mushrooms have been exposed to ultraviolet light to increase their vitamin D content”.3

Daily

How much vitamin D should women over 50, aim for daily?

DoY (Depending on You) and DotS this may vary. It can therefore be in your best interest to choose to check what’s-what for you.

Sun

What is the association between the sun and vitamin D?

The ODS explain:


“Your body makes vitamin D when your bare skin is exposed to the sun. Most people get at least some vitamin D this way. However, clouds, smog, old age, and having dark-colored skin reduce the amount of vitamin D your skin makes. Also, your skin does not make vitamin D from sunlight through a window.

Ultraviolet radiation from sunshine can cause skin cancer, so it’s important to limit how much time you spend in the sun. Although sunscreen limits vitamin D production, health experts recommend using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or more when you’re out in the sun for more than a few minutes”.4

Calcium

What is the association between calcium and vitamin D?

On page one in Calcium and Calcium Supplements: Achieving the Right Balance – Calcium and Diet the (United States) Mayo Clinic elaborate on:

“To absorb calcium, your body also needs vitamin D. Some foods naturally contain small amounts of vitamin D, such as canned salmon with bones, tuna and egg yolks. You also can get vitamin D from foods fortified with the vitamin. The recommended amount of vitamin D for most adults is 600 international units or 15 micrograms a day. Spending time in the sun also helps the body make vitamin D, even when you wear sunscreen”.5

Vitamin D Supplements

What do the authors conclude about vitamin D supplements Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice?

In The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice: Abstract – Conclusions and Relevance, published 01 May 2024, the authors conclude:

“The WHI evidence does not support routine supplementation with calcium plus vitamin D for menopausal women to prevent fractures or a low-fat diet with increased fruits, vegetables, and grains to prevent breast or colorectal cancer”.6

Health Care Provider

What if I think I need to take a vitamin D supplement?

If you think you need to take a vitamin D supplement, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In Nutrition and Eating for Good Health: Important Nutrients At Different Life Stages – Vitamin D the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health explain:

“High doses of vitamin D can be harmful, so ask your doctor how much you need”.7

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to the Vitamin D?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Vitamin D?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

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New or Updated

  1. Beyond Calcium: A Blueprint for Bone Resilience
  2. Bone Health
  3. Bone Health in Menopause
  4. Vitamin DBonetalk.org [Bone Talk, Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, United States]
  5. Breaking Down Vitamin D, D2 and D3
  6. Buildbetterbones.org [International Osteoporosis Foundation]
  7. Calcium
  8. Calcium Supplements
  9. Calcium and Vitamin D: How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?
  10. Calcium and Vitamin D: Important for Bone Health
  11. Vitamin D Calcium/Vitamin D: Sources of Vitamin D
  12. Calcium/Vitamin D: What Is Vitamin D and What Does It Do?
  13. Can Getting Too Much Vitamin D Cause A Rash?
  14. Can Vitamin D Supplements Prevent Autoimmune Disease?
  15. Complementary Medicines and Therapies: Options for Menopausal Symptoms
  16. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2023 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Premature and Early Menopause
  17. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2024 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Preparing for Your Menopause Health Care Visit
  18. Consumer Video and Podcast Series: 2025 Consumer Videos and Podcasts – Nutrition At Menopause and Why It Is Important
  19. Cracking the Calcium Code To Understand Its Role In Health
  20. Dietary Supplements
  21. EMAS Position Statement: Vitamin D and Menopausal Health [European Menopause and Andropause Society]
  22. Endocrine Society Guideline Recommends Healthy Adults Under the Age of 75 Take the Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D
  23. FDA 101: Dietary Supplements
  24. Five Dietary Tweaks for Women Over 50: From Two Food Experts
  25. Get the Facts on Calcium and Vitamin D
  26. How Much Calcium Do You Really Need?
  27. International Menopause Society (IMS) Recommendations and Key Messages on Women’s Midlife Health and Menopause
  28. May Is Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month!
  29. Mayo Clinic Minute: Do You Need More Vitamin D In the Winter? [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  30. Menopause
  31. Menopause
    Black Women’s Menopause
  32. Menopause: Things You Can Do
  33. My Dietary Supplement and Medicine Record
  34. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  35. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact
  36. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Natural Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better
  37. National Osteoporosis Foundation
  38. National Women’s Health Week (NWHW) From the FDA Office of Women’s Health
    Vitamin D
  39. Nutrition and Eating for Good Health: Important Nutrients At Different Life Stages – Calcium
  40. Nutrition and Eating for Good Health: Important Nutrients At Different Life Stages – Vitamin D
  41. Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
  42. Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D
  43. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2024: Approach To Bone Health In the Perimenopause and Postmenopause?
  44. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2025: Changing the Paradigm for Earlier Osteoporosis Prevention
  45. Online Events [International Menopause Society]: Past Webinars – 2025: Lifestyle Medicine
  46. Pathtogoodbonehealth.org [Your Path To Good Bone Health, Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation, United States]
    Vitamin D
  47. Resources: Fact Sheets [Multiply Languages]
    Vitamin D
  48. Supplements: What Works, What Doesn’t and the Truth About Menowashing
  49. Task Force Issues Draft Recommendation Statement on Vitamin D and Calcium To Prevent Falls and Fractures In Older Adults: Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements Do Not Help Prevent Falls and Fractures
  50. VITAL: The VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL – Large Trial Investigates Whether Vitamin D and Omega-3s Can Reduce Risk of CVD and Cancer and Effects on Diabetes, Bone Health, and Other Conditions
  51. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Menopause and Hormone Therapy: Current Perspectives and Controversies
  52. Videos & Podcasts: Videos – Preventing Bone Loss At Menopause
  53. Vitamin D [+ Video]
  54. Vitamin D From the Sun
  55. Vitamin D
  56. Vitamin D
  57. Vitamin D
  58. Vitamin D & Bone Health
  59. Vitamin D Deficiency
  60. Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
  61. Vitamin D Is Good for the Bones, But What About the Heart?
  62. Vitamin D Supplements: Not A Quick Fix for Heart Disease
  63. Vitamin D [+ Video]
  64. Vitamin D and Cancer Prevention
  65. Vitamin D: What Foods Provide Vitamin D?
  66. Vitamin D: What You Might Be Getting Wrong
  67. Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamin D
  68. Warning Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency
  69. What Is A Bone Density Test (DXA Scan)
  70. What Is Osteoporosis and What Causes It?
  71. Why Does Vitamin D Matter During Menopause?
  72. World Menopause Day 2025
    Vitamin D
  73. World Osteoporosis Day October 20

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted:

Sources

  1. Calcium and Calcium Supplements: Achieving the Right Balance – Calcium and Diet. 22 January 2026. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097 Accessed: 16 May 2026
  2. Vitamin D: What Is Vitamin D and What Does It Do? Updated: 08 November 2022. Office of Dietary Supplements https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/ Accessed: 16 May 2026
  3. Vitamin D: What Foods Provide Vitamin D? Updated: 08 November 2022. Office of Dietary Supplements https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-QuickFacts/#h6 Accessed: 16 May 2026
  4. Vitamin D: Can I Get Vitamin D From the Sun? Updated: 08 November 2022. Office of Dietary Supplements https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/ Accessed: 16 May 2026
  5. Calcium and Calcium Supplements: Achieving the Right Balance – Calcium and Diet. 22 January 2026. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097 Accessed: 16 May 2026
  6. Manson, J.A, E. Crandall, C. J., Rossouw, J. E. et al. The Women’s Health Initiative Randomized Trials and Clinical Practice: Abstract – Conclusions and Relevance. 01 May 2024 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/ Accessed: 16 May 2026
  7. Nutrition and Eating for Good Health: Important Nutrients At Different Life Stages – Vitamin D. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/look-after-yourself/stay-healthy/nutrition-and-eating-for-good-health/#section-important-nutrients-at-different-life-stages Accessed: 16 May 2026
Topic Last Updated: 16 May 2026 – Topic Last Reviewed: 16 May 2026

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