Vitamin D

The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that:

• Breastfed babies from birth to 1 year of age should be given a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D to make sure they get enough.
• Formula-fed babies should not be given a vitamin D supplement until they’re having less than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day, as infant formula is fortified with vitamin D.
• Children aged 1 to 4 years old should be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.

From about late March/early April to the end of September, the majority of people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on their skin.

Some people will not get enough vitamin D (vitamin D deficiency) from sunlight because they have very little or no sunshine exposure.

The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that you take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year if you:

• Are not often outdoors – for example, if you’re frail or housebound
• Are in an institution like a care home
• Usually wear clothes that cover up most of your skin when outdoors
• If you have dark skin – for example you have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background – you may also not get enough vitamin D from sunlight.

You should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year.