At what age should vitamin D be supplemented?

#How old should I take vitamin D# In recent decades, as the global scientific community continues to conduct in-depth research on vitamin D, it has been discovered that vitamin D not only helps maintain the health of bones and teeth, but also has many health benefits for the whole body. Therefore, domestic and foreign guidelines, consensus, textbooks, etc. have been constantly updating the knowledge of vitamin D and dietary supplement recommendations.

Let’s first talk about the two “magical” aspects of vitamin D:

- One of the wonders is that vitamin D does not come from natural food like other nutrients, it mainly comes from sunlight on human skin;

- The second miracle is that vitamin D receptors are distributed in almost all tissues of our body. In addition to helping to strengthen bones and teeth, it can also increase muscle strength, improve depression, promote cardiovascular and immune system health, slow down cognitive decline in the elderly, and so on.

Therefore, vitamin D is not a "patent supplement" for babies.

How should vitamins be supplemented?

- Infants can start taking vitamin D supplements a few days after birth, and this should continue into childhood and adolescence. Sun exposure alone cannot guarantee adequate levels of demand.

- The supplement dose is 400 international units per day, which is equivalent to 10 micrograms. Do not make a mistake in the units. Be sure to read the product label carefully to avoid using the wrong dose.

- Adults, especially the elderly, those who work indoors all year round, and those who have an unbalanced diet, should also supplement 400 international units of vitamin D every day. For the elderly or those with osteoporosis, the dosage should be appropriately increased under the guidance of a doctor.