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Skin makes vitamin D when the sun's ultraviolet B (UVB) rays reach it. At UK latitudes, the NHS says, the sun is only strong enough for this from about late March or early April to the end of September, so autumn and winter sunshine cannot be relied on.

Nutrition science

Health

The story behind the card

In winter the sun sits low in the sky, so its light passes through more of the atmosphere and most of the UVB is filtered out before it reaches the ground. Vitamin D helps the body control calcium and phosphate, which keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy; a serious lack can cause rickets in children and bone pain from softened bones in adults. The NHS therefore advises everyone, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, to consider a daily 10-microgram supplement in autumn and winter. People who rarely go outdoors, usually cover most of their skin or have dark skin are advised to take one all year, as are babies and young children in most cases. More is not better: adults should not take more than 100 micrograms a day.

Türkçe oku
Deri, güneşin ultraviyole B (UVB) ışınlarını aldığında D vitamini üretir. Birleşik Krallık'ın ulusal sağlık kurumu NHS'e göre bu enlemlerde güneş, ancak mart sonu ya da nisan başından eylül sonuna kadar bunun için yeterince güçlüdür; sonbahar ve kış güneşine bu konuda güvenilemez.

Kışın güneş gökyüzünde alçakta durur; ışınları atmosferde daha uzun yol kat eder ve UVB'nin çoğu yere ulaşmadan süzülür. D vitamini, vücudun kalsiyum ve fosfat dengesini düzenlemesine yardım eder; bu mineraller kemiklerin, dişlerin ve kasların sağlığı için gereklidir. Ciddi eksikliği çocuklarda raşitizme, yetişkinlerde kemiklerin yumuşamasına bağlı ağrılara yol açabilir. NHS bu nedenle hamile ve emziren kadınlar dâhil herkese sonbahar ve kış aylarında günde 10 mikrogram D vitamini takviyesi almayı düşünmesini öneriyor. Nadiren dışarı çıkanların, derisinin çoğunu genellikle örtenlerin ve koyu tenlilerin takviyeyi yıl boyunca almayı düşünmesi öneriliyor; bebeklerin ve küçük çocukların çoğu için de öneri aynı. Fazlası daha iyi değildir: Yetişkinler günde 100 mikrogramdan fazla almamalıdır.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Vitamin D
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