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Here's How Much Vitamin D You Need, By Age

Here's How Much Vitamin D You Need, By Age
Vitamin DAs we head into the cooler, darker months, the NHS recommends adults and children over the age of four “consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement”. Most of us could benefit from supplementation from next month until spring, the health service added, as “between October and early March we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight”.In fact, for people who don’t go outside often, whose skin is mostly covered when they do leave the house, those in care homes, or those with darker skin tones, it might be worth taking the supplement year-round rather than just in winter.But how much should you take? After all, taking too much of the vitamin over a long period of time can lead to hypercalcaemia.So, we thought we’d share the NHS recommendations by age (though of course, you should ignore these if your doctor has told you to take more of, or avoid, vitamin D). How much vitamin D do I need by age?Adults shouldn’t go over 100 micrograms(4,000 IU) a day.Children aged one to 10 years should stay under 50 micrograms (2,000 IU) a day.Infants under a year old should not have more than 25 micrograms (1,000 IU) a day.Taking too much can lead to weakening of your heart, bones, and kidneys.But kids with a vitamin D deficiency develop rickets, and adults can experience bone pain caused by osteomalacia. Your bones, teeth, and muscles can all suffer too.IU stands for “International Units” and is sometimes used to show measurements on supplement bottles. One microgram (which can be shown as μg or mcg) of vitamin D is 40 IU.So, 10mcg of vitamin D is 400IU. The NHS’ recommendations for healthy people are:Babies (0-12 months) – 8.5-10 mcg/day (340-400 IU/day)Children (1 year and over) – 10 mcg/day (400 IU/day)Adults (including pregnant or breastfeeding people) – 10 mcg/day (400 IU/day).When should I start supplementing vitamin D?“Children aged one to four years old should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year,” the NHS advised. And the Department of Health and Social Care recommended that babies aged 0-1 ought to take a daily supplement containing 8.5-10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year if they’re breastfed or “formula-fed and are having less than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day, as infant formula is already fortified with vitamin D”.  With that said, between late March and late September, most of us are likely to make enough vitamin D through the action of sunlight on our skin.Additionally, we can get more vitamin D through our diets. Foods like oily fish, egg yolks, red meat, liver, and more contain small amounts of vitamin D.Speak to your doctor if you’re unsure about giving supplements to yourself or your child.Related...'Pins And Needles' May Be A Red Flag Sign Of This Vitamin DeficiencyI'm A GP – Taking Too Much Vitamin D Can Cause This Condition5 Vitamins To Take NOW To Give Your Body A Boost This Winter

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