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Vitamin D

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FAQs

What is vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for several bodily functions. It's often called the "sunshine vitamin" because our skin produces it naturally when exposed to sunlight.

What does vitamin D do?

Vitamin D is a vital nutrient that works hard to keep your body healthy. It helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus from your diet for healthy, strong bones and teeth. Plus, it plays an important role in supporting your immune system.

Am I at risk of vitamin D deficiency?

Yes, if you don’t spend enough time outside with uncovered skin during the summer months you may develop a vitamin D deficiency. From October to early March, the sunshine in the UK doesn’t contain enough UVB radiation for our skin to create vitamin D. This could leave you with low vitamin D levels.

How much vitamin D per day?

Most people can make enough vitamin D from sunlight between late March and September. However, everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement from October to early March. The NHS recommends that babies under 1 year need 8.5 to 10 mcg of vitamin D daily, whilst adults and children aged 1 year and over need 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D daily. This includes pregnant and breastfeeding women and people at risk of vitamin D deficiency. However, individual needs can vary, so make sure to check with a doctor before taking a vitamin D supplement.

What contains vitamin D?

In addition to sunlight, vitamin D can be found in certain foods like oily fish, eggs, and fortified dairy products.

How can I increase my Vitamin D levels?

There are a few ways that you can increase Vitamin D levels such as making sure you spend time outside (especially in the summer months), eating foods that are rich in vitamin D or taking supplements.

What are the side effects of taking vitamin D?

If you stick to the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D, most people don’t experience side effects. If you take more vitamin D than is recommended you may experience side effects such as weakness, fatigue, headache, decreased appetite, nausea and vomiting.

Is vitamin D3 the same as vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a general term for a group of fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin D3 is a specific type of vitamin D. Vitamin D3 is the type of vitamin D that our bodies produce when exposed to sunlight. Another form of vitamin D is vitamin D2, primarily found in plants, specifically yeast.

Does sunscreen block vitamin D?

Sunscreen blocks some of the UVB rays your body needs to produce vitamin D. But even with sunscreen, your skin can still produce some vitamin D. SPF is so important to help protect your skin, so make sure you continue to wear it when out in the sun!
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