Blood levels of vitamin D for cancer protection hasn’t been concretely established, but it is suggested that over 50 ng/ml is a good place to start. You can boost your vitamin D levels naturally by:
- Getting adequate sunlight –15 minutes per day of unprotected sun exposure. Then apply sunscreen!
- Consume fatty fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines. Farm-raised fish doesn’t contain nearly the amount of Vitamin D found in wild-caught fish.
- Eat more mushrooms. Wild mushrooms or those grown with UV light have the most vitamin D.
- Choose eggs (unless specifically not recommended based on your cancer cell type) and don’t skip the yolk. Eggs from chickens that are pasture-raised or free-range contain more vitamin D than from commercially raised chickens.
- Supplement your diet. The recommendation from the Endocrine Society is to get at least 1,500–2,000 units of vitamin D per day. Overweight or obese individuals may need 2-3 times more. Check with your health care professional to determine the best dose for you.
Final note: Vitamin D toxicity is rare, but it is best to avoid long-term vitamin D doses in excess of 4,000 IU without supervision from a qualified healthcare professional. Testing your vitamin D level yearly is a good practice and some health insurance companies may pay for the test with medical justification.