How Much Vitamin D Should You Take and Why?

A good guideline for vitamin D intake is to achieve the level a person naturally attains after spending weeks in sunny, warm conditions with minimal clothing—referred to as the “sun holiday level.” This level is 120–200 nmol/L, which is also recommended by independent international experts.

To reach this safe, healthy, and highly beneficial level, a similar number of micrograms per day is generally required, varying by individual. Therefore, monitoring levels through testing is necessary. For example, Finnish doctor Arvo Ylppö recommended 100 mcg of vitamin D even for infants, and no adverse cases are on record.

In Finland, when summer sun elevates vitamin D levels, illness rates drop sharply. Historical evidence from the Spanish flu and COVID-19 pandemics shows that flu seasons begin only when summer vitamin D levels decline in the population. Anecdotally, I have not encountered a breast cancer patient with high vitamin D levels.

Maintaining sun holiday-level vitamin D year-round through supplementation could drastically reduce illness and medication sales in Finland. However, such an outcome conflicts with the interests of pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. Consequently, official recommendations remain grossly underestimated. Why do authorities endorse inadequately low doses?

Critics of higher vitamin D levels often attempt to scare people by overstating potential risks. However, toxic effects only occur with vastly excessive doses—historical cases from the 1930s involved individuals consuming 300,000–500,000 mcg/day. By contrast, a level of 150–200 nmol/L is well-documented as beneficial for seniors, convalescents, and those with chronic illnesses.

Personally, my vitamin D level is 170 nmol/L, and I take 150 mcg daily during winter. I never get sick and don’t require vaccines for viruses like HxNy strains.

Misconceptions persist because critical facts, such as those outlined above, are withheld from the public. With nearly 9,000 studies on vitamin D conducted over 90 years, all essential findings are well-documented. Yet, this vital information is not widely shared with the population.

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