Vitamins are required for the proper functioning of the body’s many systems. Vitamins have a variety of effects on a range of bodily functions, making all of them as essential as each other.
However, you should be more attentive to your vitamin D intake than ever before.
Let’s set the record straight on some of the most common vitamin D misconceptions. We’ll expose the truth behind this “sunshine vitamin.” This will aid you in recognizing the significance – and responsibilities – of vitamin D.
1. Vitamin D is Obtained From Food, Therefore it Contains All Of The Vitamin D That We Require.
Fact: We can’t get enough vitamin D from food alone, unlike other vitamins. The biggest source of vitamin D is sunlight, not food. It’s made when your skin is exposed to direct sunshine!
During the winter in the UK, the sun isn’t always strong enough. You won’t be able to get enough vitamin D from just-food, so it’s a good idea to consume vitamin D supplements to maintain your vitamin D levels.
2. There Is No Such Thing As Too Much Vitamin D
Many individuals believe that the more vitamins they consume, the better. However, this is not always the case, and it may even create additional problems in the long run.
Fact: Taking too much vitamin D through supplements can be harmful. Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium, so an overdose might lead to calcium buildup. Hypercalcemia is a condition characterized by elevated calcium levels.
The British Department of Health and Social Care recommends that everyone over the age of 1 needs about 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day.
3. Everyone Needs An Equal Amount Of Vitamin D Intake
During the spring and summer seasons, people should be able to get enough vitamin D from the sun. As a result, many people believe that everyone requires the same amount of vitamin D. This is only partially true.
Fact: Vitamin D is required by nearly everyone, who requires 10 micrograms per day on average. However, newborns under the age of one may survive on as little as 8.5 micrograms (NHS, 2021). The microgram restriction should be followed by pregnant and breastfeeding women.
4. 5 Minutes In The Sun Is All You Need
Vitamin D is a more complex vitamin to explain than others. It’s unquestionable that getting vitamin D from the sun is difficult at times. The weather isn’t always so certain.
Fact: Vitamin D is not as readily available as many people believe. Vitamin D through the sun has no set time limit, as far as I know. Every person is different, therefore the amount of time it takes to generate vitamin D varies.
According to NHS recommendations, 20 to 30 minutes of sunshine is adequate. This varies depending on your location and season of the year, however, and the winter sun in the UK is insufficient during the colder months.
