What is the recommended daily vitamin D requirement for an adult in the tropics?

The recommended intake of vitamin D for all individuals under the age of 50, including those in the tropics, is 200 international units of vitamin D per day, according to Medical News Today. Vitamin D may be absorbed through food or sun exposure, and requirements increase with age.

Although sun exposure plays a role in vitamin D intake, other factors such as sunscreen with high sun protection factor, or SPF, can reduce the body's ability to absorb UVB rays that produce vitamin D, states Medical News Today. Darker skin pigments can impact absorption, as well as lack of direct sunlight on the skin or the angle of the sun's rays.