Can Vitamin D Help With Colds?

Vitamin D is most known for its role in supporting bone health. But it’s also been hailed as the vitamin that can help prevent a range of illnesses, including the common cold. 

It’s true that vitamin D supports the immune system. But the research is mixed on whether taking a vitamin D supplement prevents colds or reduces your symptoms if you catch one.

Here, we’ll look at who may benefit from a vitamin D supplement and how much it helps.

Does vitamin D help prevent colds?

It might. But, for most people, vitamin D doesn’t directly lower your chances of catching a cold. Even so, having high-enough levels of vitamin D is important to keeping your immune system healthy. 

Having a low vitamin D level may make you more susceptible to getting colds and other respiratory infections like the flu. Research shows that when people with low vitamin D take vitamin D supplements, they get fewer colds. 

But research is mixed on whether taking a vitamin D supplement helps you avoid getting sick when your vitamin D levels are normal. Some reviews of the research show that taking vitamin D when you already have normal levels may reduce the number of colds you get, but only slightly. And other studies, including several in children and one in older adults, found that vitamin D supplements didn’t help prevent colds at all. 

To sum it up, if you have low levels of vitamin D, taking vitamin D can help boost your immune system. And this can keep you from getting sick. 

And, if you’re already taking vitamin D, keeping up with your supplement will help you maintain a healthy immune system. 

But, if you already have normal levels of vitamin D and don’t take a supplement, there’s no reason to start taking it. Extra vitamin D won’t help you avoid a cold. 

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• You can help a cold go away faster. Here are some ways to get symptom relief at home.

Should you take more vitamin D when sick?

If you already have a cold, taking vitamin D probably won’t shorten the cold or make your symptoms milder. Vitamin D works best at keeping your overall immune system strong. This may help you fight off colds in the first place so that you get them less often.

If you usually take vitamin D every day, it’s OK to keep taking it when you have a cold.

How much vitamin D should you take?

There are no official guidelines around how much vitamin D is needed specifically to keep your immune system strong. But you may be able to use the research as a guide. In studies that found that taking a supplement prevented colds, the amount of vitamin D people took ranged from 300 IUs to 2,000 IUs. 

So it’s best to stick with recommended daily intake of vitamin D for overall health:

• 600 IUs for adults ages 19 to 70

• 800 IUs for adults age 71 and older

If you’re worried that your levels are low, you can ask your primary care provider to order a blood test to check your levels. Your level should be at 50 nmol/L or above to support your bones and overall health. 

Studies looking specifically at cold prevention show that people with vitamin D levels below 25 nmol/L or 30 nmol/L have a higher risk of infections. 

How do you get vitamin D?

You can get vitamin D from several different sources, including sun exposure, certain foods, and supplements. 

Sun exposure

You get most of your vitamin D from the sun. Your body produces vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. For many people, about 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure most days of the week may help you make enough vitamin D. 

It’s important not to spend too much time in the sun though. That can increase your risk of skin cancer. It’s a good idea to put on sunscreen before going outside. 

Foods with vitamin D

You can get vitamin D from your diet, but it’s not always easy to get enough. Vitamin D occurs naturally in only a few foods. Fatty fish (like salmon and trout) contain the highest levels of vitamin D. Other foods with small amounts of the vitamin include:

• Beef liver

• Egg yolks

• Some cheese

• Some mushrooms

Most people in the U.S. get most of their dietary vitamin D from fortified foods. These include:

• Milk 

• Plant-based milks like soy milk or almond milk

• Breakfast cereals

• Some brands of orange juice

• Some yogurts

Supplements

There are different types of supplements that contain vitamin D. These include: 

• Multivitamins

• Some calcium supplements with vitamin D

• Vitamin D supplements 

What other vitamin supplements help get rid of colds?

There are a few vitamins, minerals, and other supplements that have been shown to help shorten colds and make the symptoms less severe in some situations. These include:

• Vitamin C: You can take vitamin C daily or take a boost when you get a cold.

• Zinc: Take zinc as soon as you notice cold symptoms to reduce symptoms.

• Probiotics: You need to take probiotics daily, not just when you get a cold.

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Written by:

Aliyah Baruchin, MS

Aliyah Baruchin, MS, is a health journalist with over 20 years of experience. She's written for outlets like The New York Times and Scientific American, alongside writing and editing for nonprofits, hospitals, and universities.

Edited by:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Farzon Nahvi, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and teaches at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

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