VITAMIN D

WHY IS VITAMIN D IMPORTANT FOR BONE HEALTH?

  • Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium
  • Vitamin D ensures the correct renewal and mineralization of bone
  • Vitamin D helps keep muscles strong and so can help reduce the risk of falling

 

HOW DOES YOUR BODY GET VITAMIN D?

Vitamin D is made in the skin when a person exposes their skin to UV-B rays in sunlight. We get 70-80% of our vitamin D from exposing our skin to the sun, and the rest comes from our diet.

HOW MUCH SUN EXPOSURE DO YOU NEED?

To get enough vitamin D, you should generally try to get 10–20 minutes of safe sun exposure to your bare skin (face, hands, and arms) outside peak sunlight hours (before 10 AM and after 2 PM) daily – without sunscreen - and taking care not to burn.

10-20 MINUTES
SAFE SUN EXPOSURE

BEFORE 10AM
& AFTER 2PM

WITHOUT SUNSCREEN
BUT DO NOT BURN

WHICH FOODS CONTAIN VITAMIN D?

Very few foods are naturally rich in vitamin D . Natural food sources of vitamin D include oily fish (such as salmon, sardines and mackerel), eggs, mushrooms and liver. In some countries foods like margarine, breakfast cereals, and orange juice are fortified with vitamin D.

HOW MUCH VITAMIN D DO YOU NEED?

  • Unfortunately, sunlight is not always a reliable source of vitamin D. The winter season, geographic latitude, use of sunscreen, city smog, darker skin, and older age are just some of the factors that might reduce how much vitamin D is produced in your skin when you expose it to sunlight.

  • Recommendations for vitamin D vary. Many countries recommend a dietary intake of 200 IU/day (5 μg/day) for children and young adults, and 400-600 IU/day (10-15 μg/day) for older persons, in addition to the amount of vitamin D that is made in the skin from sun exposure.

  • It is very common for seniors to have low vitamin D levels. This is because they tend to stay indoors or avoid sunshine. Also, at older age, the skin produces less vitamin D when exposed to the sun as compared to younger people.

IOF recommends that adults aged over 60 years take a vitamin D supplement of 800 to 1000 IU/day to benefit bone health.

If you have osteoporosis, combined calcium and vitamin D supplements are recommended to ensure that you are getting enough of these nutrients and to maximize the benefits of osteoporosis treatment.
If you are at taking vitamin D supplements, be sure to stay within safe limits. (vitamin D supplements)

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