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The tolerable upper intake level (UL), or upper limit, for vitamin D is 4,000 IU (100 mcg) a day for everyone 9 and older. That is the most a day that is unlikely to cause harm for almost everyone; above it, the chance of side effects goes up. It is a ceiling, not a target. The limit counts vitamin D from food, water and supplements together.
Check your amount
Servings a day
This limit is the same for everyone 9 and older, including pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Type the amount from your label to compare it with the upper limit.
Take more than one supplement? Add them all up in the Supplement Checker.
Vitamin D upper limits by age
| Age | Males | Females | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 1,000 IU (25 mcg) | 1,000 IU (25 mcg) | – | – |
| 7-12 months | 1,520 IU (38 mcg) | 1,520 IU (38 mcg) | – | – |
| 1-3 years | 2,520 IU (63 mcg) | 2,520 IU (63 mcg) | – | – |
| 4-8 years | 3,000 IU (75 mcg) | 3,000 IU (75 mcg) | – | – |
| 9-13 years | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | – | – |
| 14-18 years | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) |
| 19-30 years | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) |
| 31-50 years | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) |
| 51-70 years | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | – | – |
| 71+ years | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | 4,000 IU (100 mcg) | – | – |
How much Vitamin D you need
| Age | Males | Females | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 400 IU (10 mcg)* | 400 IU (10 mcg)* | – | – |
| 7-12 months | 400 IU (10 mcg)* | 400 IU (10 mcg)* | – | – |
| 1-3 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | – | – |
| 4-8 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | – | – |
| 9-13 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | – | – |
| 14-18 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) |
| 19-30 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) |
| 31-50 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) |
| 51-70 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 600 IU (15 mcg) | – | – |
| 71+ years | 800 IU (20 mcg) | 800 IU (20 mcg) | – | – |
* Adequate Intake (AI): the amount set when there isn’t enough evidence for an RDA.
What counts toward the Vitamin D limit
The limit counts vitamin D from food, water and supplements together.
Labels list vitamin D in mcg and often IU: 1 mcg = 40 IU, so the adult limit of 100 mcg is 4,000 IU.
What happens with too much Vitamin D
The National Academies' 2010 report brief on calcium and vitamin D says that once vitamin D intakes surpass 4,000 IU (100 mcg) per day "the risk for harm begins to increase" and that "very high levels of vitamin D (above 10,000 IUs per day) are known to cause kidney and tissue damage." It adds that the upper levels "should not be misunderstood as amounts people need or should strive to consume."
Sources: National Academies, Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D (2011); Health Canada, Dietary Reference Intakes tables (the joint U.S.-Canada values). Limits checked November 8, 2026. More from the NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin D fact sheet.
If you think you or a child took too much of a supplement, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (U.S., free, 24 hours) or use poison.org. In an emergency, call 911.
General information, not medical advice. Your doctor may recommend a different amount, for example to treat a deficiency. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change a supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication or have a medical condition.