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Ingredient guide

Vitamin D for women: how much you need at each stage of life

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

Women need 15 mcg (600 IU) of vitamin D a day from 19 to 70, including during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and 20 mcg (800 IU) from 71. US women average only 4.2 mcg a day from food, so sun, fortified foods or a supplement fill the gap. The upper limit is 100 mcg (4,000 IU).1,2

Key facts

  • More than 97% of US women get less than 10 mcg of vitamin D a day from food and drink alone.2
  • Women with darker skin make less vitamin D from the same amount of sunlight.1
  • Breast milk alone does not give a baby enough vitamin D, so breastfed babies need their own supplement.1
  • The Endocrine Society suggests vitamin D supplements during pregnancy, without recommending a specific dose.2,3

How much women need

Vitamin D for girls and women, per day1,2
StageRecommendedUpper limit
Girls 14 to 1815 mcg (600 IU)100 mcg (4,000 IU)
Women 19 to 7015 mcg (600 IU)100 mcg (4,000 IU)
Women 71 and older20 mcg (800 IU)100 mcg (4,000 IU)
Pregnant15 mcg (600 IU)100 mcg (4,000 IU)
Breastfeeding15 mcg (600 IU)100 mcg (4,000 IU)

Pregnancy and breastfeeding do not raise the amount. The step up comes at 71, when the recommendation rises to 20 mcg (800 IU), partly because older skin makes less vitamin D from sunlight.1,2

What women actually get

Food covers only a fraction. Women in the US average about 4.2 mcg (168 IU) a day from food and drink, little more than a quarter of the 15 mcg they need. Sunlight and supplements are why most still have adequate blood levels.2

Supplement use climbs with age. In 2015 to 2016, 59% of women aged 60 and older took a supplement containing vitamin D, compared with 49% of men the same age.2

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Breast milk alone does not give a baby enough vitamin D. Mothers who take at least 50 mcg (2,000 IU) of vitamin D3 a day appear to have more vitamin D in their breast milk.1,2

Breastfed babies should be given a vitamin D supplement of 10 mcg (400 IU) each day, because breast milk alone does not provide enough.1,2

The Endocrine Society's 2024 guideline suggests vitamin D supplements in pregnancy but stops short of a dose, and the US recommended amount stays at 15 mcg (600 IU). Multivitamins often contain vitamin D, so count what yours provides before adding a separate product.1,3

After menopause

Bone is broken down and rebuilt all the time. With age, and especially in women during menopause, breakdown outpaces building, so bone density can fall over time.2

Helps the body absorb calcium and maintain normal bones*2,4,5

Moderate evidence

This is vitamin D's best-established role and the basis of official intake recommendations. It matters most when intake and sun exposure are low. In adults who mostly had adequate levels already, extra vitamin D gave no added benefit for bones: VITAL tested 2,000 IU a day in 25,871 people for about five years and found no difference from placebo.

Amount studied: The recommended 15 to 20 mcg (600 to 800 IU) a day from all sources; VITAL tested 2,000 IU a day on top of diet

Most trials of vitamin D for bone also gave calcium, so the effect of each nutrient is hard to separate.2

In a 3-year trial of 260 Black women aged 60 and over given 2,400 to 4,800 IU a day, NIH reports that raising blood levels beyond 20 ng/mL did not appear to benefit bone health.2

The practical points after menopause are simple: reach 15 mcg (600 IU) a day, or 20 mcg (800 IU) from 71, from all sources combined. NIH advises older women to talk to their doctor about calcium and vitamin D together as part of an overall plan for their bones.1,2

Women more likely to run low

Women who cover most of their skin for religious or other reasons, who work indoors, who have darker skin or who have a higher body weight tend to have lower vitamin D levels. So do women who avoid milk, including vegans, because fortified milk is one of the main sources in the US.1,2

Cautions

Taking calcium with vitamin D can raise the chance of kidney stones. In the Women's Health Initiative, 36,282 women after menopause given 1,000 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D a day had 17% more kidney stones over 7 years than those on placebo.2

  • Ask your doctor before going above the recommended amount while pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Ask first if you take a thiazide water pill, steroid tablets or orlistat, or have had kidney stones1
  • Count the vitamin D in multivitamins, calcium supplements and our own products: our Vitamin D3 softgel (50 mcg) and our immune formula (40 mcg) come to 90 mcg together1

What's in ours

What’s in ours

Questions people ask

What is the best vitamin D for women over 50?

There is no special version for women. Vitamin D3 raises blood levels more, and keeps them up longer, than D2, and the amount to aim for is 15 mcg (600 IU) a day until 70 and 20 mcg (800 IU) after. VITAL, which enrolled women from age 55, found no measurable gain from 2,000 IU a day over about five years in adults who mostly had adequate levels already.1,2,6

Do women over 40 need more vitamin D?

No. The recommendation stays at 15 mcg (600 IU) a day from 19 to 70 and rises to 20 mcg (800 IU) only from 71.1

Does vitamin D change body weight?

No. NIH's review of the research concludes that vitamin D supplements, or foods rich in vitamin D, do not change body weight.1,2

Should women take vitamin D with calcium?

Many bone trials gave both, so their effects are hard to separate. Get calcium from food where you can and ask your doctor before adding a calcium supplement: in the Women's Health Initiative, 1,000 mg of calcium with 400 IU of vitamin D a day led to 17% more kidney stones over 7 years.2

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Sources

  1. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated November 8, 2022. Opened 2026-10-07.
  2. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated June 27, 2025. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. Demay MB, et al. Vitamin D for the Prevention of Disease: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2024;109(8):1907-1947. Opened 2026-10-01.
  4. European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods. Official Journal of the European Union, L 136, 25.5.2012, p. 1. Opened 2026-10-01.
  5. LeBoff MS, et al. Supplemental Vitamin D and Incident Fractures in Midlife and Older Adults. N Engl J Med. 2022;387(4):299-309. Opened 2026-10-01.
  6. Manson JE, et al. Vitamin D Supplements and Prevention of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease. N Engl J Med. 2019;380(1):33-44. Opened 2026-10-01.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.