Vitamin D is an important micronutrient, essential for bone health, immune function, and resistance to certain diseases. Many doctors recommend supplementing your body’s natural vitamin D production with a daily supplement. Vitamin D supplements are relatively cheap and widely available. But is it really necessary?
How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?
The recommended daily amount of vitamin D that you need for optimum health is 10 micrograms (also written as 40IU). Babies under the age of 1 need between 8.5 and 10 micrograms.
Where Does Vitamin D Come From?
As well as supplements, our bodies naturally produce vitamin D through exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D can also be found in foods such as oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods.
Who Should Take a Vitamin D Supplement?
Doctors recommend that EVERYONE should take a vitamin D supplement for at least the autumn and winter months. Certain groups should also take a vitamin D supplement throughout the year. These include…
- People who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- People don’t get outside often (e.g. who are frail or housebound).
- People who wear clothes that cover most of their skin when outside.
- People with darker skin, such as from an African, Afro-Caribbean or South Asian background.
- Babies and toddlers up to 4 years old.
The Verdict
Taking a vitamin D supplement during the colder seasons is an easy way to make sure your body has enough of this essential nutrient. Anyone in the above groups should consider taking vitamin D all year round!
