
Starting in 2021, the International Unit will no longer be the only strength listed on vitamin D supplements.

Vitamin A: One International Unit (IU) equals 0.3 mcg of retinol or 0.6 mcg of beta-carotene.

International Units are used to standardize different forms of the same substance, making them easier to compare. Here is a vitamin D product manufactured by Nature Made that is labeled as 1000 International Units: The International Unit (IU), which refers to the "biological activity" of a drug or substance, is the most common way in which the strength of Vitamin D is listed, or at least it historically has been.

In 2017 alone, supplemental Vitamin D accounted for $937 million in sales!Ī common source of confusion is how the strength of Vitamin D is listed on the supplement label. Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin naturally produced in the skin in response to sunlight, is also one of the most purchased over the counter (OTC) supplements.
