19 Oct 2026

What Does Vitamin D Do, and What Drinks Have It?

Key Takeaways:

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, supports strong bones and teeth, and plays a role in muscle movement, brain-body signaling, and immune function.
Adults need more vitamin D as they age: 600 IU per day for ages 19–70 and 800 IU per day for ages 71 and older.
Low vitamin D can become more common with age and may be linked to limited sun exposure, certain diets, obesity, gut disorders, or a history of bariatric surgery.
Vitamin D can come from sunlight, foods like fatty fish and egg yolks, and fortified drinks such as milk, orange juice, plant-based milks, cereals, and select BOOST® Nutritional Drinks and Shakes.

We know that walking the dog, gardening and other outdoor activities are good for you, but did you know that spending time outside gives you a dose of Vitamin D, too? It’s true! Sometimes called the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is produced in our skin with exposure to the sun, but you also can get it from various foods and beverages.

And it’s one of those nutrients that we need to pay particular attention to as we get older to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D.

Why is Vitamin D Important?

Vitamin D serves many roles in the body – with its main purpose helping the body absorb calcium.

Vitamin D works together with calcium to help keep teeth and bones strong, especially as you age. It also helps support muscle mobility, sends signals from the body to the brain, and helps support a healthy immune system.

How Much Vitamin D Do I Need?

More than 90% of Americans aren’t getting enough vitamin D. As we get age, our recommended dietary intake increases.

Vitamin D can be measured in two ways: in micrograms (mcg) or international units (IU). Here are the daily recommended amounts of vitamin D in micrograms and International Units for adults:¹

Adults 19–70 years: 15 mcg (600 IU)
Adults 71 years and older: 20 mcg (800 IU)

As of 2020, all food labels must list vitamin D content (typically shown in micrograms) on the Nutrition Facts label making it easier to track your intake and avoid vitamin D deficiency.³

What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency?

As we age, low vitamin D can also become more common because we lose the ability to harness the sun’s rays to create it.

And there are lots of other common reasons for low vitamin D, too:

Lack of sun exposure. If you live far from the equator, where the sun is not as strong, you may be at higher risk of deficiency, especially during the winter months when we tend to hibernate indoors.
Sunscreen. Although sunscreen is important to protect against sunburn and skin cancer-causing rays, it also limits our ability to absorb the vitamin from the sun by about 90%. If you have darker skin, the pigment in your skin known as melanin, also acts as a natural sunblock and can increase your risk of deficiency.
Obesity. Believe it or not, vitamin D can get “stuck” in body fat, making it harder for the body to use.
Vegetarian or vegan diets. It can be tough to find foods that are naturally high in vitamin D, and the ones that do tend to be animal products like fish, liver, and eggs. But if you’re avoiding these kinds of foods, getting enough Vitamin D can be especially challenging.
Digestive Troubles. If you have gut disorders such as lactose intolerance or a milk allergy, you may have a hard time absorbing this vitamin.
History of bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass and other surgeries can limit the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and increase the chances of vitamin D deficiency.

Inadequate amounts of vitamin D can lead to deficiency which puts you at risk for bone fractures when falling, or weakened bones that can lead to bone deformities, spasms and dental issues - all of which can be painful. ⁵

But not to worry! Simply making room for some Vitamin D-rich foods and drinks can help make a difference.

How to Get the Vitamin D You Need

Salmon Eggs Nuts Milk Foods that are High In Vitamin D

To support optimal vitamin D levels, including natural sources such as fatty fish and liver, although these may not be everyday foods. Because few foods naturally contain high amounts of vitamin D, fortified options—such as milk, orange juice, nutritional shakes and breakfast cereals—can help make it easier to meet your needs!

Vitamin D Drink Comparison: Milk, Orange Juice, and Nutritional Shakes

Use this chart to help you understand which drinks have vitamin D:

Drink	Typical vitamin D content
Select BOOST® Nutritional Drinks and Shakes	Up to 6mcg per 8 fl oz serving
Fortified cow’s milk	~3 mcg per 8 fl oz serving¹
Fortified soy milk	~2.5-3.3 mcg per 8 fl oz serving⁵
Fortified orange juice	~2.5 mcg per 8 fl oz serving⁵
Fortified oat milk	~2.5-3.3 mcg per 8 fl oz serving⁵
Fortified almond milk	~2.5-3.3 mcg per 8 fl oz serving⁵