Vitamin D is important for healthy bones. We get most of our vitamin D from sunshine in the UK, which lasts from late March to late September. Vitamin D is required for the body to absorb calcium. This mineral is critical for healthy bones, teeth, and muscles.
How do we get vitamin D?
Vitamin D is produced in our bodies when we are exposed to sunshine. When most people are outside between early March and late September, they can obtain all of their vitamin D from sunlight.
A small number of foods, such as oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines, as well as red meat and eggs, provide us with vitamin D.
All infant formula milk, as well as certain breakfast cereals, fat spreads and non-dairy milk alternatives include Vitamin D. Manufacturers may use vitamin D in a variety of forms to boost the content of these items. The amounts added to these products can vary, and they may only be introduced in tiny amounts. Infant formula milk must be supplemented with vitamin D by law.
What is the most effective time for us to spend in the sun?
The majority of people can obtain enough vitamin D by spending at least 10 minutes in the sun without sunscreen on their forearms, hands, or lower legs from March to September, particularly between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., when the UV radiation is reliable.
It’s difficult to determine how much time is required in the sun to produce enough vitamin D for the body’s needs. This is because there are several variables that impact how vitamin D is formed, such as skin colour or the amount of skin shown.
However, you should be cautious not to burn in the sun, so make sure to cover up or protect your skin with sunscreen before your skin begins to turn red or scorch.
Those with dark skin, such as Africans, Africans of the Caribbean or South Asian descent, and people from the Indian subcontinent, will need to spend more time in the sun to manufacture the same amount of vitamin D.
You can’t make vitamin D if you’re sitting indoors by a bright window, because the UVB (ultraviolet B) rays that your body needs to create vitamin D (the ones coming through the glass) cannot penetrate it.
What about the Winter sunlight?
In the winter in the United Kingdom, sunshine does not provide enough UVB radiation to enable our skin to produce vitamin D. We get our vitamin D from food sources (including fortified foods) and supplements during these months. Using sunbeds isn’t a good way to make vitamin D.
Who should take vitamin D supplements?
Vitamin D insufficiency affects certain groups of people differently. The Department of Health advises that these persons take daily vitamin D tablets to ensure they get enough. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a child under the age of four, you can get vitamin D supplements free of charge. You may also get single vitamin tablets or vitamin drops for infants and youngsters at most pharmacies and big supermarkets.
Leave a Reply