Are we getting enough Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is widely known as The Sunshine Vitamin and has multiple benefits to human health. It is an essential micronutrient, contributing to:

• maintenance of normal bones and teeth
• normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorus
• maintenance of normal muscle function
• normal function of the immune system

Our skin naturally produces vitamin D when sufficiently exposed to sunlight in the summer months, but this changes during late autumn and winter because the sun is too low in the sky. In fact, if we spend most of our time indoors, or covering up against the sun, we can even become deficient in high summer.

Small amounts of vitamin D3 can be found in eggs, milk and fatty fish, while certain mushrooms can provide some vitamin D2, but from October to March some supplemental vitamin D will still be required. Good quality supplements can be found in health stores, where knowledgeable staff can discuss individual needs.