Vitamin D- the Sunshine Vitamin

Most of the Vitamin D we need is made when the skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet B rays.

Vitamin D is required for strong teeth and bones, muscle health and general health. It helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphate from food.

Deficiency of vitamin D can result in softening and weakening of bones - rickets in children and osteomalacia  in adults, and  can also make bones  porous and brittle - osteoporosis in adults. A lack of it is also related to other health conditions such as heart disease, cancers, allergies, and Type 2 diabetes.

We get most of the vitamin by going out in the sun but some foods such as oily fish ( sardines and mackerel ), egg yolk, meat and some fortified foods also provide some quantities.

At risk of Vitamin D deficiency:

• People with darker skin, as it takes the skin  a longer time to synthesize the vitamin
• Babies and children from the age of 6 months to 5 years. 
• Pregnant or breast- feeding women especially teens and young women
• Older people who are over 65 years
• People in situations such as illness who are unable to come out of their homes or live in climates without much sunlight
• Vegetarians and those who have insufficient intake of milk products 

Vitamin D made in the body from food or from sunshine is safe but supplements can cause bone and kidney problems especially in children and older people.

Help your body make Vitamin D

Exposing hands and face to the sun is the main source of Vitamin D. BUT…

• 10 – 15 minutes is enough depending on skin colour.  Darker skins need longer exposure.
• The best time of the day is between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. as the sun is the strongest at that time but that is also the time when you are most likely to burn. 
• It takes less time for the body to make Vitamin D than it takes to burn your skin, so expose yourself to sunshine only for short periods of time.