While data on the safety of higher doses is lacking, most experts agree that vitamin D supplements are safe in doses of up to 4,000 international units per day during pregnancy or breastfeeding 12. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should get about 600 IU (or the equivalent of 15 mcg) of vitamin D a day. Fortunately, most prenatal vitamins provide around 400 to 600 IU of vitamin D, and you can also get it from certain foods and beverages. We recommend vitamin D3 from Nordic Naturals (1000 IU per softgel) in the natural form of cholecalciferol. So how much vitamin D should pregnant women consume daily to meet their needs? And what are some easy ways to put more vitamin D on your plate? Ergocalciferol is the vegetarian form of vitamin D and cholecalciferol is the animal-derived form, usually derived from fish liver oil or sheep lanolin.
It's also found in egg yolks, cheese, beef liver, and foods fortified with vitamin D, such as many types of cereals, dairy products, and orange juice. When taking vitamin D during pregnancy, keep in mind that excessive vitamin D supplementation can occur, which can lead to toxicity. Finally, you can also get an idea of the vitamin D content of various types of foods by consulting the National Institutes of Health's vitamin D resource (see table). Currently, vitamin D has extensive research that supports its role in immune function, healthy cell division, and bone health.
There is no evidence that taking vitamin D reduces the risk of contracting or getting sick with coronavirus. Hypercalcemia refers to the accumulation of calcium in the blood and can occur to the fetus when too much vitamin D is ingested. For this reason, another Cochrane review (published in 2001) analyzed the effects and safety of different vitamin D supplementation regimens during pregnancy. These foods include egg yolk, salmon, and cod liver oil; however, most vitamin D is consumed through fortified foods such as milk.
Getting enough vitamin D helps promote healthy baby development and is beneficial to overall health during pregnancy. The study confirmed that this level of vitamin D is not only safe for you, but also for your baby, and the researchers in this study now recommend this daily dose of vitamin D for all pregnant women. However, you may not know that vitamin D plays an equally important role: it allows your body to absorb and retain the calcium and other minerals that you and your developing baby need. Babies who are breastfed from birth to the first year of age should receive a daily supplement of 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D to ensure that they get enough.
