Vitamin D

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is often called the "sunshine vitamin", because it is produced in the skin when the sun shines on it. Vitamin D is important for normal bone formation, the maintenance of a strong and healthy skeleton and for the immune system.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be formed from sunlight or ingested through food. In winter, it can be difficult to get enough sunlight so that the body can produce sufficient vitamin D. That is why it is important to have other good sources in addition to the sun, such as fatty fish or cod liver oil, or supplements such as vitamin D tablets.

What does vitamin D do for the body?

• Vitamin D strengthens the skeleton. That's because vitamin D is important for maintaining normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body, both minerals are absolutely necessary for the skeleton and teeth.

• Vitamin D also stimulates the formation of bone tissue and can reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

• Vitamin D contributes to a normal immune system.

• Vitamin D is important for normal cell division.

• Vitamin D is also being investigated for a number of other effects, including the prevention of various diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

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Sources of vitamin D in the diet

There are few foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Good sources are fatty fish and fish liver oil (cod liver oil). In addition, a number of foods are enriched with vitamin D. If you want to cover the daily vitamin D requirement of an adult with mackerel in tomato on a slice of bread, you need six more slices.

Recommended daily intake of vitamin D

• Children 0-11 months: 10 µg.

• Children and adults under 75: 10 µg.

• Adults over 75 years: 20 µg.

• Pregnant: 10 µg.

• Lactating: 10 µg.

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µg = microgram

10 µg = 400 IU (international units) vitamin D.

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Cod liver oil is not recommended in the first year of life.

Children who are breastfed should be supplemented with vitamin D from approx. one week old. Vitamin D can be given in the form of vitamin D drops.

Children who receive breast milk formula do not need supplements of vitamins, minerals or fatty acids, and should not receive such supplements.

Children who are weaned should also be supplemented with vitamin D, but the amount can be reduced depending on how much formula the child receives.

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What happens when there is a lack of vitamin D?

Vitamin D deficiency can occur in people who get little vitamin D through their diet and in people who do not spend much time in the sun. Dark skin forms less vitamin D than fair skin. The skin also produces less vitamin D as it ages.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause weakness, muscle pain and an increased risk of osteoporosis. Severe vitamin D deficiency in children can cause rickets and osteomalacia in adults. Both conditions are characterized by the fact that the skeleton does not have sufficient strength and bones can become deformed.

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Vitamin D3 and vitamin D2.Vitamin D exists in the forms "vitamin D3" and "vitamin D2". The chemical name for D3 is cholecalciferol, and you find this form of the vitamin in, among other things, fatty fish. Here you can read more about vitamin D3. D2, or ergocalciferol, is found in plants. Both forms are converted in the body to active vitamin D (calcitriol).

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is one of the forms of vitamin D found in nature. It is this form of vitamin D that is consumed through, among other things, fatty fish. The other form, vitamin D2, is found in the plant kingdom, but has little significance for the vitamin D intake in humans. Read more about Vitamin D here.

Why does the body need vitamin D3?In the event of a lack of vitamin D, one can ultimately develop rickets as a child, or ostemalacia as an adult. Deficiency can also cause symptoms such as muscle aches and fatigue, and depressive thoughts.

What is the difference between vitamin D3 and vitamin D2?Vitamin D3 is formed in the skin by sun exposure, and is consumed in the diet through marine sources. Vitamin D2 comes mainly from the plant kingdom. Both of these forms of vitamin D are inactive in the body, and must be converted before they have a biological effect. Both D2 and D3 are first converted to calcidiol in the liver, and then to the active form of vitamin D (calcitriol) in the kidneys. Some studies have shown that vitamin D3 produces higher concentrations of calcidiol, but both D2 and D3 are suitable for treating vitamin D deficiency. The sum of D2 and D3 levels determines whether a person has a vitamin D deficiency.

What does vitamin D3 do in the body?The active vitamin D is converted into vitamin D3 in the body and helps to strengthen the skeleton. Vitamin D is important for the body's absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which in turn are necessary for a normal skeleton and teeth.The formation of bone tissue is stimulated by vitamin D and the risk of bone fragility can be reduced.Vitamin D is one of the contributors to a normal immune system.Vitamin D is also important for normal cell division.

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Where is vitamin D3 found?When the skin is exposed to sunlight, the body produces vitamin D3 itself. The most important food sources of vitamin D3 are fatty fish, roe and fish liver. D3 is also found in eggs.

Who needs to take care to get enough vitamin D3 or D2 and may need supplements?

• Vegetarians

• Vegans

• Dark-skinned, especially in winter. Darker skin forms less vitamin D than light skin

• Those who are little out in the sun or are protected from sunlight

• People who do not eat fish, or eat low-fat fish in the winter

• Pregnant and breastfeeding

• Children under 3 years

Lack of vitamin DA lack of vitamin D can cause muscle pain, weakness and an increased risk of osteoporosis. In severe vitamin D deficiency, children can develop rickets and adults can develop osteomalacia. These conditions mean that the skeleton does not have sufficient strength and that the bones can become deformed. Here you can read more about vitamin D deficiency.

Dietary supplement with vitamin D3

There are several ways to take vitamin D3 as a dietary supplement. Vitamin D3 drops are well suited for children who cannot swallow tablets. D3 is also found in cod liver oil, in addition to omega-3 fatty acids. Other alternatives to supplements are tablets and capsules, or chewable tablets.

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