So today, the sun is shining and the snow is melting (at least off the BBQ). It's beautiful out and you can start to hope for spring. But does that sunshine cause our skin to make any vitamin D this time of year?
This question is really dependent on where you live. If you live on the equator, you are golden. You can made vitamin D all year round. However, when you live in Northern BC, not so much! To make vitamin D the sun has to be a fairly direct angle and it just isn't in the right position from fall to spring where we live. So, what does that mean?
It means that you might want to take a vitamin D supplement from the fall until the spring each year. If you are over 60, you might want to take it year round as our skin becomes less efficient at making vitamin D as we age. You might want to consider this if you work inside or have a darker skin tone. How much should we take? I would recommend 1000IU a day. The great benefit is that vitamin D supplements are cheap; a years supply shouldn't cost you over $10.
So why is vitamin D important? It is important for strong bones and the prevention of osteoporosis. Some research has linked vitamin D deficiency with MS and depression. Some studies have linked low vitamin D levels with heart disease. So we definitely want to make sure we are getting enough.
You might wonder if you can get all the vitamin D you need through diet. However, there are only a few foods that contain vitamin D. Milk is fortified with vitamin D, egg yolks and fatty fish contain vitamin D. So unless you drink a fair bit of milk or eat fish or eggs daily, a supplement is very likely the way to go.
So do you take a vitamin D supplement? Do you find it helps in the winter? Share you're thoughts below!
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