Adequate level of vitamin D is necessary for the proper functioning of the body, and its deficiency can lead to serious he alth consequences. Unfortunately, in Poland too low vitamin D levels were found in as many as 90% of the population. Therefore, supplementation with this vitamin is very important. The norms for consuming vitamin D may differ slightly from a person's age, gender, or lifestyle. Find out what you need to know about vitamin D supplementation.

Vitamin D deficiencies in Poland and in the world

Vitamin D deficiencies are a global problem, however, they are much more common in countries with low sun exposure and far from the equator.

50-80% of people in the world have vitamin D deficiency , whilein Poland too low level was found in 90% of the population- adults , children and adolescents.

While the supplementation of other vitamins is indicated only in specific physiological conditions and diseases,vitamin D is recommended to be supplemented by the entire population, regardless of age .

Vitamin D receptors are found in virtually every cell of the body. This indicates the huge role of vitamin D in the functioning of the body. Vitamin D deficiencies can have a serious impact on your he alth. First of all, they cause rickets in children and osteoporosis and osteomalacia in adults. This is not the end, however.

Vitamin D deficiencies contribute to the occurrence of:

  • cardiovascular diseases - hypertension, ischemic heart disease,
  • type 1 diabetes,
  • type 2 diabetes,
  • Hashimoto's thyroiditis,
  • any autoimmune diseases,
  • improper functioning of the immune system, more frequent infections and more severe course of diseases,
  • drop in mood, even depression,
  • cognitive impairment,
  • neurodegenerative diseases,
  • cancer.

Vitamin D supplementation is essential to avoid the he alth consequences of vitamin D deficiency.

Find out what a vitamin D deficiency shows up

See the gallery of 5 photos

Vitamin D supplementation - natural sources

Diet, especially Polish, is not able to coverthe body's need for vitamin D. Fish are good sources, but Poles eat very little of them. Therefore, the skin synthesis remains.

Vitamin D synthesis

The basic source of vitamin D is the synthesis that occurs in the skin under the influence of solar radiation.

To get optimal vitamin D levels in your bodyyou need to be exposed to the sun every day for about 20 minutes . At least 18% of the body (e.g. face, forearms and lower legs) must be exposed and the skin must not be sunscreened.

In Poland, the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin occurs only from the end of April to the beginning of September, from 10:00 to 15:00 , on sunny days. The period from September to April, which is more than half of the year, is the time when vitamin D does not synthesize despite being in the sun. This is due to the geographical location of Poland and the angle of the sun's rays.

The radiation must be intense for the production of vitamin D in the skin to occur. Skin synthesis also does not occur in the spring and summer period on cloudy days. All this means that practically the entire Polish society has a smaller or greater deficiency of vitamin D.

Food sources of vitamin D [IU / 100 g]

fresh eel1200
fresh salmon600-1000
herring in oil808
marinated herring480
salmon (boiled / baked)540
fresh farmed salmon100-250
canned fish (tuna, sardines)200
mackerel (cooked / baked)152
fresh cod40
shiitake mushrooms100
egg yolk54 (in one yolk)
cheese7,6-28
cow's milk0.4-1.2

10 foods rich in vitamin D

See the gallery of 11 photos

Until when to supplement with vitamin D?

Vitamin D supplementation is introduced in newborns from birth and should be continued throughout life.In Poland, it is recommended to take vitamin D from September to April .

In the spring and summer period, from May to early September, you do not need to take the supplement as long as you stay in the sun for at least 15 minutes between 10:00 and 15:00 and expose your body. If these conditions are not met, vitamin D supplementation should be continued.

Others are recommendeddoses for he althy people, different for disease entities, and still different for deep deficiencies. However, when answering the question of when to supplement vitamin D, it is safe to say thatis best taken all year round, except on sunny days, which we spend outside .

Remember that according to the latest recommendations adopted in Poland, vitamin D supplementation is recommended and considered safe even in the summer months.

After 3 months of supplementation, it is best to determine the level of vitamin D. If its concentration in the blood is higher than 50 ng / ml, the dose should be reduced by 50%, and if it exceeds 75 ng / ml, the supplementation should be discontinued for 1- 2 months.

Recommendations for vitamin D supplementation for different population groups

Vitamin D should be supplemented by everyone without exception for preventive purposes. The daily dose of the supplement is adjusted to the age, body weight, sun exposure, season, diet and lifestyle. In case of a deficiency, in addition to age and body weight, the level of the deficiency is also taken into account.

For most people, according to the recommendations, it is not necessary to test the level of vitamin D before starting supplementation, as it will certainly not be harmful.

However, it is worth considering such a test to better match the dose of vitamin D necessary to compensate for the deficiency, if any.

People in risk groups should perform a serum vitamin D test.

The risk groups include people from:

  • bone diseases,
  • disturbances in calcium and phosphate metabolism,
  • treated with corticosteroids,
  • digestive and absorption disorders,
  • cystic fibrosis,
  • chronic inflammatory bowel diseases,
  • liver failure,
  • kidney failure,
  • kidney stones,
  • hyperparathyroidism and hypoparathyroidism,
  • hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism,
  • type 1 diabetes,
  • somatotrophic pituitary insufficiency,
  • anorexia,
  • autoimmune multi-gland syndromes,
  • short stature,
  • tall,
  • obesity,
  • mental retardation,
  • delayed psychomotor development,
  • cerebral palsy,
  • multiple sclerosis,
  • autism,
  • epilepsy,
  • muscular dystrophy,
  • bronchial asthma,
  • atopic dermatitis,
  • autoimmune diseases, e.g. Hashimoto's, rheumatoid arthritis,
  • recurring system infectionsrespiratory,
  • recurrent and chronic inflammation in other locations,
  • with neoplastic diseases and condition after treatment of neoplasms,
  • hypertension,
  • ischemic heart disease,
  • with type 2 diabetes,
  • lipid metabolism disorders,
  • metabolic syndrome.

Recommendations for vitamin D supplementation in the general population

GroupDaily dose

Term-borns and infants

0-6 months

6-12 months

400 IU regardless of the feeding method

400-600 IU depending on the daily amount of vitamin D ingested with food
Newborns born up to 32 weeks pregnant800 IU under control of serum vitamin D levels
Newborns born in the 33-36 week of pregnancy400 IU
Children aged 1-10600-1000 IU depending on body weight and vitamin D supply in the diet
Youth aged 11-18800-2000 IU depending on body weight and vitamin D supply in the diet
Adults aged 19-65800-2000 IU depending on body weight and vitamin D supply in the diet
Seniors aged 65-75 and people with dark skin800-2000 IU THROUGHOUT THE YEAR depending on body weight and vitamin D supply in the diet
Seniors over 752000-4000 IU ALL YEAR ROUND due to impaired skin synthesis and absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, depending on body weight and dietary vitamin D supply
Pregnant and lactating women2000 IU throughout pregnancy and lactation, and preferably, after determining the vitamin D level in the serum, supplementation should be selected so that the blood concentration is 30-50 ng / ml
Obese peopleDouble the dose for the age group the person belongs to

How to supplement vitamin D?

Prophylactic supplementation is aimed at maintaining the proper level of vitamin D. However, in the case of finding deficiencies, the procedure is different and depends on how much vitamin D deficiency is observed. Incorrect supplementation may also lead to an excess of vitamin D.

Severe deficiency (0-10 ng / ml)

Enter therapeutic doses of vitamin D:

  • 2000 IU / day until 12 months of age,
  • 3000-6000 IU under the age of 10,
  • 6000 IU over the age of 10.

Vitamin D treatment continues3 months, after which the blood vitamin level should be determined.

Significant deficiency (10-20 ng / ml)

If prophylactic supplementation was used, increase the dose of vitamin D by 100% and measure the level of vitamin D in the blood after 3 months.

If supplementation has not been carried out, start using it in the maximum prophylactic doses and determine the level of vitamin D in the serum after 3 months.

Suboptimal concentration (20-30 ng / ml)

If supplementation has not been introduced, it should be started in prophylactic doses. If supplementation is being used, increase the dose by half and check for vitamin D blood levels in 6 months.

Optimal concentration (30-50 ng / ml)

You should continue your current supplementation.

High concentration (50-75 ng / ml)

If doses of the supplement were used in accordance with the recommendations, reduce the dose by half and measure the level of vitamin D in the blood after 3 months.

If higher doses than recommended were used, the supplementation should be discontinued for a month, and then it should be started in the recommended doses.

Very high concentration (75-100 ng / ml)

Supplementation should be discontinued for 1-2 months, and after obtaining the vitamin D concentration within the normal range, introduce supplementation with the lowest recommended doses for a given population.

Toxic concentration (>100 ng / ml)

You should stop supplementation and check the calcium level in the blood and urine. Monthly blood vitamin D level testing is recommended until the concentration is below 50 ng / ml.

Re-supplementation with doses for the general population should be introduced after obtaining the level of calcium in blood and urine within the laboratory norm and excluding hypersensitivity to vitamin D.

  • Vitamin D Testing
  • Vitamin D - symptoms and effects of vitamin D deficiency and excess
  • Vitamin D - properties and effects of vitamin D

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