Vitamin D helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and bone pain and tenderness as a result of a condition called osteomalacia in adults. From about late March/April to the end of September, most people in the UK should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight. The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors. But if you're out in the sun, take care to cover up or protect your skin with sunscreen before you turn red or get burnt. Between October and early March we don't get any vitamin D from sunlight. Read more about how we get vitamin D from sunlight. Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods. Good food sources are: Another source of vitamin D is dietary supplements. In the UK, cows' milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D because it isn't fortified, as it is in some other countries.
Babies from birth to one year need 8.5 to 10 micrograms (8.5-10mcg) of vitamin D a day. Children from the age of one year and adults need 10 micrograms (10mcg) of vitamin D a day. This includes pregnant and breastfeeding women and people at risk of vitamin D deficiency (those with minimal exposure to sunshine and those with dark skin). From about late March/April to the end of September, the majority of people in the UK should get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight. The Department of Health recommends that: You can buy single vitamin D supplements or vitamin drops containing vitamin D (for use by under-fives) at most pharmacies and supermarkets. Women and children who qualify for the Healthy Start scheme can get free supplements containing the recommended amounts of vitamin D. See the Healthy Start website for more information on the scheme. Because vitamin D is found only in a small number of foods, it might be difficult to get enough from foods that naturally contain vitamin D and/or fortified foods alone.
So everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D. Between late March/April to the end of September, the majority of people aged five years and above will probably get enough vitamin D from sunlight when outdoors. So you might choose not to take a vitamin D supplement during these months. But some people will not get enough vitamin D from sunlight because they have very little or no sunshine exposure. The Department of Health recommends that you should take a daily supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D throughout the year if you: If you're from a minority ethnic group with dark skin, such as African, African-Caribbean or South Asian, you might also not get enough vitamin D from sunlight – so you should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D throughout the year. Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause more calcium to be absorbed by the body than can be excreted.
This leads to high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcaemia). Too much calcium in the blood can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart. If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10mcg a day will be enough for most people. Do not take more than 100mcg of vitamin D a day, as it could be harmful. This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11-17 years. Children aged 1-10 years should not have more than 50mcg a day. Infants under 12 months should not have more than 25mcg a day. Some people have medical conditions that mean they may not be able to safely take as much. If in doubt, you should consult your doctor. If your doctor has recommended you take a different amount of vitamin D, you should follow their advice. Your body doesn't make too much vitamin D from sun exposure, but always remember to cover up or protect your skin if you are out in the sun for long periods, to reduce the risk of skin damage and skin cancer.
Page last reviewed: 18/02/2015 Next review due: 18/02/2017Vitashine Vegan Vitamin D3 Supplements Vitashine – The only Vegan Vitamin D3 registered with the Vegan Society Vitashine contains our exclusive 100% Vegan and vegetarian suitable Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol). We worked with Independent expert laboratories including Stirling University (world renowned experts in lipid analysis) to validate our research. Vitashine is registered with the Vegetarian Society and the Vegan Society. Vitamin D3: A potent and active form of Vitamin D Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) is the form of Vitamin D produced by the body after sun exposure. Common vegetarian Vitamin D supplements are Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol), which is a derivative of ergosterol and is not produced by land plants or vertebrates. The healthy debate continues regarding whether D2 offers equivalent efficacy to D3 in the body, with the majority of the Scientific community suggesting Vitamin D3 is superior.
We have added some downloads and references to our website to allow you to make up your own minds! Having reviewed a vast amount of published research, our conclusion is that Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) is the best form of Vitamin D for the body. Vitashine is registered with several worldwide organisations including the Vegan Society and the Vegetarian Society.A balanced diet, rich in a wide range of fruit and vegetables will, according to the experts, provide us with all the vitamins and minerals we need to ensure the body’s functioning. Popping supplements, they argue, is a waste of time and money. Except, we learn now, when it comes to vitamin D. Draft government guidelines regarding the ‘‘sunshine’’ vitamin - so-called because it is manufactured in the skin during exposure to UV light - are set to turn the ‘‘good diet is all you need" consensus on its head with a recommendation that we are not getting enough vitamin D, and taking a vitamin D supplement to redress the situation may be the solution.
A combination of a northern latitude and bleak weather means that millions of us are deficient as dietary sources alone are not enough to keep levels in a healthy range. Oliver Gillie, a scientist has championed the case for universal supplementation for years and says the advice comes not a moment too soon. The Government currently recommends that only pregnant women, children up to the age of five, those over 65 and people with darker skin should take regular vitamin D supplements “Everybody knows that we live a far more indoor lifestyle than even our parents did. People sit inside watching television or on computers for hours every day. “What’s more, a lot of people actively avoid the sun because dermatologists have been telling them it causes skin cancer. Obviously, you have to be careful to avoid burning but many people fail to realise that sunlight is our primary source of vitamin D and therefore crucial to health.” According to the report by Scientific Advisory Body on Nutrition (SACN) which drafted the guidelines, our bodies are suffering when it comes to vitamin D, which is needed for healthy bones and strong teeth but also plays a role in numerous biochemical processes in the body.
There is growing evidence that the vitamin - or lack of it - is linked to a number of diseases from musculoskeletal problems to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Professor Hilary Powers, chair of the SACN working group on Vitamin D says: “Across Europe, populations generally take on less vitamin D than country-estimates of requirements. However, there is very little in place in terms of public health strategies to address this problem.” Upping the recommended amount of vitamin D people should be consuming a day would be a ‘‘precautionary measure,’’ she added. However, it would represent a major change in policy in a nation where public health advice generallycounsels against mass supplemention (currently, folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy is recommended, flouride is added to water in some areas to protect against tooth decay and since 1998, wheat flour has been fortified with vitamin B1 and other nutrients). The Government currently recommends that only pregnant women, children up to the age of five, those over 65 and people with darker skin as well as those who do not, for whatever reason, expose their skin to sunlight on regular basis, should take regular vitamin D supplements.
However, data gathered by Public Health England says one in five people have low levels of vitamin D, and around one in six children – that’s an estimated 10 million people across England. “Lack of vitamin D…reduces bone mineralisation.’’ according to medical nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer. ‘‘This can lead to the deficiency diseases of rickets in children, and osteomalacia in adults. Other conditions that have been linked with a lack of vitamin D include constipation, muscle weakness, increased susceptibility to infections, poor growth, irritability and bone pain.” We obtain vitamin D primarily through the skin’s exposure to UVB rays in sunlight– but also, to a much smaller extent, through food. Dr Brewer explains: “[We can only make vitamin D] when the UV index is greater than 3 which, in the UK, is achieved on some days during spring and summer. Today [SUBS: Tuesday], for example, the UV index is only above 3 for around an hour at 2pm.” Northern latitude countries such Finland have a national policy of vitamin D supplementation and food fortification That’s a pretty small window.
Other northern latitude countries such Finland have a national policy of vitamin D supplementation and food fortification. In Denmark, Nordic Nutrition recommendations for vitamin D were recently upped from 7.5mcg (300 International Units) to 10mcg (400 IU) per day. In the UK, the recommended daily amount (RDA) is just 5mcg (200 IU) per day, although up to 25mcg (1000 units) is advised during the winter months. Oliver Gillie believes we could go further: “I’d like the government to tell us to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day. The vast majority of the population who live indoors needs to take a supplement - especially those who live in Scotland which is further north and gets far more cloud coverage.” Best dietary sources of vitamin D: Oily fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel How to boost your levels: Dr Sarah Brewer says: “Usual advice is to obtain 10 to 15 minutes sun exposure to face, arms, hands or back, two or three times a week, without sunscreen. Longer exposures do not provide additional benefit, as vitamin D is rapidly degraded by excess UV radiation SPF 8 sunscreen reduces vitamin D production in the skin by 95%, while SPF15 reduces vitamin D production by 99%.”