So,
everybody is talking about vitamin D and the importance of taking D
for immune health.
Vitamin D is found in a small number of foods. Good food sources would be oily fish, such as salmon and sardines and eggs. But to get adequate levels of vitamin D while living in Ireland you really need to be supplementing. This is especially true in the winter months.
Often called the sunshine vitamin because, when you are in sunlight your body will produce vitamin D - it’s produced in your skin in response to sunlight. There are three variants D-1, D-2, and D-3.
When supplementing you should always look for the D-3 variety.
Vitamin D has several important functions. Perhaps the most vital are regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and facilitating normal immune system function. Getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D is important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases.
Lets answer a few popular questions about Vitamin D!
How much Vitamin D should we take every day?
The average adult should look at supplementing 1000-3000iu (thats 25-75ug) a day. This is a good level of D for men and women. For kids they should look at supplementing from 400iu from infancy. When pregnant, you should consult your pharmacist, G.P. or health care professional.
Lastly, just to confuse us there are two ways of measuring fat soluble vitamins. They can be measured in “IU” (which stands for International Units) or “μg” microgram or microgramme is a unit of mass equal to one millionth.
