Best Vitamin D Supplement for Keto

Many people add supplements to their keto diet. This is not a bad idea, as long as you know what you’re doing. In other words, do not use supplements as an excuse for a poor diet. Anyway, you’re probably wondering why anyone would need supplements when they’re already on a healthy diet.

Well, truth be told, a ketogenic diet is a specific type of diet at the end of the day. What that means is it isn’t a balanced diet. You are cutting out on carbs completely, but the body does need its fair share of carbs. Plus, it’s a diet that prioritizes the consumption of fatty foods, which means you’re losing out on other sources of nutrition, such as some vegetables, pulses, and grains.

Vitamin D is one of the more important vitamin types needed by humans. It is responsible for regulating sex hormones, immunity, inflammation and a whole lot of other processes. So, it’s pretty obvious that we need enough of it inside our bodies. Sadly, most people don’t get enough, and this is especially true for those on a keto diet.

If you aren’t sure about the status of your Vitamin D levels, you can always go in for a blood test to check it out. These tests are typically covered by insurance. In fact, you can include it as part of any other routine test that you might go in for on a regular basis.

You should be consuming around 65-75 ng/mL of Vitamin D every day. However, sourcing that much Vitamin D via a keto diet can be challenging so supplementation is definitely an option.

An ideal amount would be 1000 to 1500 IU for every 25 pounds of body weight. Also, make sure you eat enough fat when consuming Vitamin D since it is fat soluble. There are also Vitamin D supplements out there that already contain fat.

It is recommended that you take Vitamin D early in the morning, as a night dosage can affect sleep.

How to Choose the Right Vitamin D Supplement?

If you head to your local drug store, you’re likely to come across a plethora of options for Vitamin D supplements. This is because the supplement market is a thriving business and there are all kinds of supplements being produced today. This applies to Vitamin D supplements as well.

In general, you’ll find that there are four kinds of Vitamin D.

First, we have Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol. This is the Vitamin D that’s produced naturally in our skin via exposure to sunlight and UV rays.

Secondly, we Vitamin D2 or ergocalciferol. This is sourced from mushrooms and yeasts. However, the yeasts and mushrooms, themselves, produced it via exposure to UV rays and sunlight. But Vitamin D2 supplements don’t contain the natural version. Instead, they contain the chemically synthesized versions of the vitamin.

Thirdly, we have calcidiol. Calcidiol is what you get after the formation of Vitamin D3. This is a 25-hydroxyVitamin D and isn’t normally sold over the counter.

The last one is what we refer to as calcitriol. This is Vitamin D3 in its active form. Essentially, it’s a hormone and strictly regulated by the FDA and Health Canada. It’s a potent form of Vitamin D and isn’t recommended for normal consumption.

So, the only form of Vitamin D that makes sense at the end of the day is the one that is made in our skin. It’s called Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol. The supplement is made by extracting 7-dehydrocholesterol from sheep wool.

This extract is then purified well and dissolved inside a liquid. It’s also treated with UV light to stimulate the production of cholecalciferol. This is then taken and purified further to create the final supplement.

Many people choose to take multivitamins and supplements as a single solution for nutrition. This is, in general, a bad idea because you end up getting an unbalanced dose of nutrients. For instance, you may get too much of a certain vitamin and too less of another so be very specific about what you’re looking for. 

The Benefits of Vitamin D

Vitamin D offers a ton of benefits. Let’s look at a few of them.

One of the most significant benefits is that Vitamin D helps fight many diseases. According to a 2006 study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it helps in minimizing the risk of multiple sclerosis.

It has also been found to help with minimizing the chances of developing heart diseases, according to a 2008 study published in the magazine ‘Circulation.’

Apart from fighting diseases, Vitamin D has also been linked to weight loss. This is another key reason why people are encouraged to add Vitamin D supplements to their keto diet. In one study, it was found that people who took a daily dose of Vitamin D and calcium were able to achieve greater weight loss than those who did not. Researchers determined that the weight loss occurred as a result of appetite suppression, which was linked to Vitamin D and calcium.

Similarly, in another study, it was found that obese people who took Vitamin D experienced a reduction in the risk markers for heart disease.

What to Look for in Vitamin D Supplements?

There are a few basic rules you can follow when choosing your Vitamin D supplements.

To begin with, more isn’t better. It can be hard to source Vitamin D on a keto diet. Of course, you could go out and bask in the sun for a while, but what if it’s winter? Even so, this is no excuse to overdose yourself on Vitamin D. So, make sure you check your Vitamin D levels before choosing your Vitamin D supplement.

There are certain supplements that offer way too much Vitamin D. If your Vitamin D levels are already ok, you shouldn’t consume more than 1,000 IU per day. Excessive Vitamin D can lead to toxicity.

Secondly, find out if the supplement is certified. According to a study conducted by ConsumerLad.com, there are supplements out there that contain 180% more Vitamin D than what is stated on the label. This can cause an overload of Vitamin D, and that’s not a good thing.

There was another similar bit of research published in JAMA. Anyway, the solution to this problem is to avoid Vitamin D supplements that do not come with a USP verification seal. A USP verification seal guarantees that the supplement has gone voluntary independent quality testing and that the contents are accurately listed.

Thirdly, go for gel caps or liquids. There is a tiny risk that Vitamin D in caplet form may not breakdown properly inside your digestive system. Caplets are coated pills, in case you didn’t know. Anyway, it has been found that soft gels, powders, liquids, and capsules are far easier to breakdown, which helps with complete absorption.

Finally, always choose Vitamin D3. As we explained earlier, there are two kinds of supplement Vitamin D. The first is Vitamin D2 and the second is Vitamin D3. The latter is generally considered to be the best option, and most physicians recommend it.

Vitamin D3 is the same kind of Vitamin D that’s produced naturally in our skin via exposure to sunlight and UV rays. As a result, it is easier for the body to absorb. Vitamin D2 is sourced from mushrooms and yeast, which is a good thing for vegans.

So, there you have it – the key points to consider when choosing Vitamin D supplements. But it doesn’t end there. We’ve come up with a list of the four best Vitamin D supplements you can find online to make your search easier. We’ve also reviewed them to help you make an informed decision.

The Top 4 Vitamin D Supplements

Conclusion

All of the above-mentioned Vitamin D supplements are popular in the market and have been known to offer benefits. However, we like to play things safe and therefore, choose to stick to 2000 IU of Vitamin D3 a day, which means the last two options don’t make the cut for us.

There’s just way too much Vitamin D3 in those gelcaps, and we suggest you talk to a health professional for guidance if you’re looking to go with those options.

The safest bet would be Nature Made Vitamin D3 2000 IU Tablets 220 Ct Value Size by Nature Made. It offers about 2000 IU of Vitamin D3, which is good enough for most people. It’s also the most affordable of the lot.

But its best feature is that it’s certified by United States Pharmacopeia, which is a big deal. Our only complaint is that it’s sold in tablet form, which is known for reduced absorption. Even so, we vote this as our winner.