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Daily Requirement of Vitamin D (Calciferol):

The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI), or daily requirement, for Vitamin D (Calciferol) is as follows:

5 ug/day for infants and children
5 ug/day for adult males and females up to age 50
10 ug/day for adult males and females age 50-70
15 ug/day for adult males and female over the age of 70.

Dietary Sources of Vitamin D (Calciferol):

Getting adequate exposure to sunlight is one of the most important sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D synthesis is triggered in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet (UV) rays. It is virtually impossible to get sufficient quantities of vitamin D from diet alone. Exposure to sunlight is the only way to ensure that you are producing enough vitamin D

Two factors that need to be considered are: 1) the farther away you live from the equator, the more sun exposure you need to generate adquate vitamin D; 2) people who have darker skin need much more sun exposure than people with light skin to generate an equal amount of vitamin D.

To help supplement the vitamin D produced by your skin, you can include the following foods that contain vitamin D in your diet:

Dairy sources: Milk and other dairy products which are fortified with Vitamin D, including cheese.

Fish sources: Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel, and fish oils, including cod liver oil and other fish liver oils.

Fortified food: Many breads and ready-to-eat breakfast cereals are fortified with Vitamin D.

Eggs: Eggs also contain some vitamin D.

More Information:

Vitamin D (Calciferol) Overview

Vitamin D (Calciferol) Benefits, Functions, Signs of Deficiency