Vitamin D 

Vitamin D is the vitamin your body can produce by taking a walk in the park or reading on the balcony in the sunshine. Also known as the ‘sun vitamin’, vitamin D is involved in various processes in the body. A sufficient supply of vitamin D is particularly important for your children. Here you can find out what the right dose is.

The effect of vitamin D

From the chemical names of the vitamin D3 forms cholecalciferol and calcitriol, you can already deduce something about the effect of vitamin D3, more precisely: from the word component ‘calci’. The supposed vitamin helps with the absorption and utilisation of calcium and thus contributes to a normal calcium level in the blood. Vitamin D therefore helps to maintain your bones. Children specifically need vitamin D for normal bone growth. Against this background, extended hours of outdoor play are highly recommended - with the right sun protection, of course.

However, the sun vitamin is not only important for the little ones, but also for older people - because it helps to reduce the risk of falling, which is associated with postural instability and muscle weakness. Falls are a risk factor for fractures in men and women aged 60 and over and can be minimised by having strong bones.

Vitamin D also plays an important role because it helps to maintain the normal function of the immune system in children and adults alike. This body's own defence system serves to protect health and needs to be supplied with vitamins and minerals all year round. As part of a balanced and varied diet, there are many ways of using natural sources of vitamin D to cover your needs and ultimately keep your immune system fit.

Contrary to previous beliefs, daily vitamin D requirements do not depend on age or gender. For example, according to estimates by the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), everyone needs a 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum concentration of around 50 nmol/l (nanomole per litre) of vitamin D from the first year of life.

This concentration can be achieved through a balanced and varied diet in combination with sufficient sunlight through “endogenous synthesis”.

Did you know that in Germany the sun is not strong enough in the months from October to March to ensure an adequate supply of vitamin D? If the body can replenish its vitamin D stores sufficiently in summer, this is not a problem. However, you should be careful about your diet in winter and check your vitamin D levels if necessary.

By the way: an overdose through the formation of vitamin D by the skin is not possible, but of course you should still not overdo it with sunbathing to avoid sunburn.

In the absence of endogenous synthesis, the DGE has established estimates for an adequate vitamin D intake.

Food with vitamin D

The sun is and always will be the most efficient source of vitamin D. So, make sure the little ones in particular enjoy sunny days outdoors. But what about cloudy, winter days in Germany? Supplementing your diet with vitamin D rich foods is important:

As you can see, fatty fishes have relatively high vitamin D content. This means that a diet with fish can help balance your vitamin D intake, especially in winter. In comparison, other foods only provide a little vitamin D.

Some types of meat, mushrooms, chicken eggs and cheese or fat products also contain a significant amount of vitamin D, although this is relatively low. Therefore, these foods are more suitable as a supplement to meet daily requirements and not as a complete substitute.