What is an optimal Vitamin D level?
The short answer
An optimal Vitamin D level is 40–60 ng/mL. That is Dr. Rhonda Patrick's number. You can watch her say it below.
Most labs call Vitamin D low only under 30. So your report can come back normal at 35 while you sit under the line she draws.
“Most people can take a supplement in the range of 2,000 to 4,000 IUs a day depending where your blood levels are at and keep keep their vitamin D levels within that, you know, 40 to 60 range.”
Where a number lands, and who said so
- under 30 ng/mL Most labs flag this as low
- 30–40 ng/mL Normal on most reports. Below optimal
- 40–60 ng/mL The range Dr. Rhonda Patrick draws Dr. Rhonda Patrick · 15:08 →
- 60–100 ng/mL Normal on most reports. Above optimal
- over 100 ng/mL Most labs flag this as high
What Vitamin D measures
The storage form of vitamin D. Your skin makes it from sunlight, and food supplies the rest.
It acts more like a hormone than a vitamin. It reaches bone, immune function and muscle. Levels fall in winter and with less sun.
Checked against MedlinePlus — Vitamin D Test.
One of the doctors we cite, on why it matters
“people that have vitamin D levels between 30 and 60 40 to 60 nanograms per milliliter have the lowest all-cause mortality including cardiovascular disease neurogenerative disease and cancer so I like to to to be within that range”
Common questions
What is an optimal Vitamin D level?
40–60 ng/mL, according to Dr. Rhonda Patrick.
What is a normal Vitamin D level?
Most US labs print 30–100 ng/mL. Your report grades you against that range. It exists to catch disease, not to describe your best.
What does your Vitamin D number mean?
Under 30 ng/mL, your report marks it low. Between 30 and 100 it prints as normal. Over 100, your report marks it high. Where the people we follow draw their own line is above.
Is Vitamin D of 35 normal?
Your lab will call it normal. Dr. Rhonda Patrick puts the floor at 40 ng/mL, so by that number it is low.
Do they all agree?
No. Dr. Mark Hyman puts the line somewhere else: “make sure your vitamin d levels are optimal and that means at least 45 to 75 nanograms per milliliter if they are lower you might need to supplement”
What does the Vitamin D test measure?
The storage form of vitamin D. Your skin makes it from sunlight, and food supplies the rest. It acts more like a hormone than a vitamin. It reaches bone, immune function and muscle. Levels fall in winter and with less sun.
Where does this number come from?
Dr. Rhonda Patrick, on video. The link above jumps straight to that minute.
They don't all draw the line in the same place
“make sure your vitamin d levels are optimal and that means at least 45 to 75 nanograms per milliliter if they are lower you might need to supplement”
“I think going above 60 nanograms per milliliter is probably still okay like going to 80 you know like there's there's studies looking at 80 and it's still associated with lower all cause mortality”
“I do think that it's critical that we have adequate vitamin D3 levels so take enough vitamin D3 to get you in that ideal range uh uh 60 to 80 nanograms per ml”