Vitamin D, vitamin D3

Vitamin D is a lipod-soluble vitamin that helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.

This extremely important vitamin is needed to maintain healthy bones, teeth and muscles.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause bone deformities, disease states such as rickets in children, and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia, especially in adults.

A common expert advice is that everyone should consider a daily vitamin D supplement, especially in autumn and winter.

People at high risk of vitamin D deficiency, all children aged 1 to 4, and all infants should take a daily vitamin D supplement throughout the year.

Good sources of vitamin D

The body produces vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors, but between October and early March, sunlight unfortunately does not produce enough vitamin D.

Vitamin D is found in a small number of foods.

These resources are as follows:

• oily fish - such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
• red meat
• liver
• yolks
• fortified foods - such as some fatty spreads and breakfast cereals

Another source of vitamin D is dietary supplements.

In the United Kingdom, cow's milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D because it is not as rich as in some other countries.

How much vitamin D do I need?

From about the end of March to the beginning of April to the end of September, most people should be able to produce all the necessary vitamin D we need with the help of sunlight.

Children from 1 year of age and adults need 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day. This includes pregnant and lactating women and people at risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Babies up to one year need 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D per dan.

Sometimes the amount of vitamin D is expressed in International Units (IU). 1 microgram of vitamin D equals 40 IU. So 10 micrograms of vitamin D equals 400 IU.

Should I take a vitamin D supplement?

Advice for adults and children over 4

In autumn and winter, you need to get enough vitamin D from your diet, as the sun is not strong enough for the body to produce all the vitamin D.

However, as people find it difficult to get enough vitamin D from their diet, everyone (including pregnant and lactating women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D in autumn and winter. .

From the end of March / beginning of April to the end of September, most people can get all the necessary vitamin D they need, with sunlight on their skin and a balanced diet.

You can choose not to take vitamin D supplementation during these months