Getting enough Vitamin D, all year long

Getting enough Vitamin D, all year long

By Molly Martyn, MD

Getting enough Vitamin D is an important part of staying healthy. Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption, and thus is a critical part of how our bodies make and maintain strong bones. Research shows that it also plays a role in keeping our immune systems healthy and may help to prevent certain chronic diseases.

Many of us get our Vitamin D from the sun and from drinking milk, but families often wonder how to help their children get enough Vitamin D to meet daily requirements.

The American Academy of Pediatrics [LINK: http://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/pages/Vitamin-D-On-the-Double.aspx] recommends that infants receive 400 International Units (IU's) per day of Vitamin D. For children older than one year, the recommended amount is 600 IU's per day.

Vitamin D is found in a number of foods, some naturally and some through fortification. Foods that are naturally high in Vitamin D include oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel), beef liver, egg yolks, mushrooms, and cheese. Below are some estimates of Vitamin D levels (per serving) of a variety of foods.

Salmon (3.5 oz) contains 360 IU's of Vitamin D per serving

Shrimp (4 oz) has 162 IU's

Orange juice (Vitamin D fortified, 1 cup) has 137 IU's

Milk (Vitamin D fortified, 1 cup) has 100 IU's

Egg (1 large) has 41 IU's

Cereal (Vitamin D fortified, ¾ cup) has 40 IU's

All infants who are breast fed (and even many who are formula fed) should receive a daily Vitamin D supplement.

In addition, the majority of children do not eat diets high in foods containing Vitamin D. Thus, a Vitamin D supplement or multivitamin may be an important part of helping them meet their daily requirements. Talk to your child's health care provider about recommendations.