How much vitamin D do you need per day? Here are the facts.
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Leesduur: 3 min
Did you know that 9 out of 10 Dutch people don't get enough vitamin D? This is evident from a recent study of our eating habits. (1)
Vitamin D is essential for strong bones and teeth, but most Dutch people don't get the recommended amount. High-risk groups, such as children, pregnant women, and people with dark skin, are particularly likely to be deficient.
Furthermore, the same report found that:
- 60% of people have a (severe) vitamin D deficiency during the winter months
- 77% of elderly people have a (serious) vitamin D deficiency during the winter months
- Only 1 in 4 elderly people aged 70+ take vitamin D supplements (despite the advice of the RIVM) (2)
Maybe it's time to reconsider your vitamin D intake. This article explains which factors play a role and how much you need.
Vitamin D is crucial for bones, teeth and the immune system, but 9 out of 10 Dutch people do not get enough.
Important factors: sunlight, skin color, diet, weight, medication use and age determine how much vitamin D you need.
Regular testing and possible supplementation (D3) helps maintain healthy vitamin D levels, especially for at-risk groups and the elderly.
Table of contents
What is Vitamin D and what are its benefits? Benefits of Vitamin D What are healthy vitamin D levels? What if your vitamin D is too low? What determines how much vitamin D you need per day? 1. How often you spend time outdoors (the more you spend time outdoors, the greater the chance of getting enough D) 2. The country you live in (the strength of the sun varies by country) 3. Your skin color (more pigment, harder to produce vitamin D) 4. Whether you live in a city or in the countryside 5. How healthy your diet is 6. How much weight you have (excess fat mass) 7. Whether you have liver and/or kidney disease 8. What medications you take 9. Gender and hormones How much vitamin D do you need per day in the Netherlands? Children < 12 years Young adults 12- 18 years Fit, active adults (18-50 years) Adults with an inactive lifestyle (18-50 years) Adults with a medical condition The elderly Vitamin D supplements: The difference between IU and mcg In short
What is Vitamin D and what are its benefits?
Vitamin D is a special substance that your body produces when your skin comes into contact with sunlight, and therefore actually acts more like a hormone.
It's also found in foods like oily fish, liver, meat, eggs, and dairy products, but usually not in sufficient amounts. It's estimated that we get only 25% of our vitamin D from food. (3)
Although diet plays a role, sunlight is the most important source of vitamin D.
There are 2 main forms of vitamin D:
- Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) - Found mainly in plant sources such as mushrooms; and
- Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) - This is the best form because it is better absorbed by your body. D3 is the form produced by your skin and found in animal-based foods.
Benefits of Vitamin D
This is what vitamin D does for your body:
- It is good for maintaining strong bones and teeth
- Increases calcium absorption in the bones
- Has a positive effect on the immune system
- Helps to reduce the risk of falls due to muscle weakness and postural instability (at least 20 mcg per day)
- Plays a role in the cell division process
- Helps with the normal functioning of your muscles
What are healthy vitamin D levels?
To determine if you have a vitamin D deficiency, you must have your vitamin D levels tested with a blood test. This will measure the amount of vitamin D (specifically, the calcidiol level ).
The result is usually expressed in nmol/l . This value allows your doctor to determine whether you have sufficient vitamin D or whether you may have a deficiency that may require treatment.
These are the normal values of vitamin D:
- Younger than 70 years - You have enough vitamin D if your level is 30 nmol/l or higher .
- From the age of 70 - You have sufficient vitamin D at a level of 50 nmol/l or higher . (3)
Good to know: nmol/l stands for nanomol, which is one billionth of a mole (6.022 x 10²³ particles of a substance). "Per liter" means it indicates the amount of substance in one liter of blood. So, a vitamin D value of 30 nmol/l means there are 30 billionths of a mole of vitamin D in each liter of blood. The higher the value, the more vitamin D in your body.
What if your vitamin D is too low?
If your vitamin D status is too low, your doctor will prescribe vitamin D supplements. The dosage depends on the severity of your deficiency:
- Below 35 nmol/l (severe deficiency) - You need vitamin D supplements in a high dose (loading dose).
- Between 35 and 50 nmol/l - A maintenance dose is sufficient to keep your value stable. (3)
What determines how much vitamin D you need per day?
The amount of vitamin D you need daily depends on several factors. It's important to understand which circumstances affect your vitamin D needs so you can ensure you get enough.
These are the main factors that determine how much vitamin D you need:
