Vitamin D's importance in human health is well known and has come to the fore during the Covid 19 Pandemic. As we are going through the shortest days of the year here in Ireland, it is it worth taking a look at how and why we should keep our Vitamin D levels up during Winter.
Vitamin D is necessary for building and maintaining healthy bones and supporting the immune system. Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin as our bodies make and store it when exposed to UV rays from the sun. In Ireland, Vitamin D deficiency can be common due to a lack of sunlight. Vitamin D is also contained in foods such as oily fish, eggs and milk but our diet alone is not enough to cover our daily requirements.
Babies and Children
Babies need a good supply of Vitamin D to help with rapid bone growth after birth. Babies are generally not exposed to much sunshine, so a supplement is essential. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland recommends that all babies between 0-12 months receive Vitamin D supplementation. Be aware a lot of infant formulas are fortified with Vitamin D. We recommend BabyVit D3 Drops. Two tiny drops can provide 0-12 months old with their recommended daily dose of 5mcg of Vitamin D. These are tasteless drops that can be given directly to your baby or added to food or drink for easier consumption. Children aged between 1 and 4 should be given a daily supplement of 10mcg per day. We recommend Vivio Junior for this age group.
Adults
In adults low Vitamin D levels can show in later life as osteoporosis where the bones become weaker. The density of our bones decreases after the age of 30. This leads to bones that can easily fracture and is often the cause of hospitalisation and disability in older people. To know how much Vitamin D to take for an adult will depend on whether they have had a blood test to measure their Vitamin D level. If a doctor has taken their reading and advised or issued a prescription for Vitamin D they may have to take a higher dose (75mcg - 100mcg) once daily for two months then decrease down to a maintenance dose of 25mcg once daily. If you have just started reading about Vitamin D and would like to start taking it, we recommend 25mcg once daily to have with breakfast or lunch.
Immunity
Evidence suggests that Vitamin D has a positive effect on the immune cells in the body and those with higher levels of Vitamin D are less prone to severe complications of Covid 19. Also Vitamin D supports a healthier immune system in general and will protect the body against many common viruses such as colds and flus.
Vitamin D comes in a variety of different tablets, liquids and sprays. Call in and speak with your pharmacist to discuss which one is the best for you.
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