About vitamin D

Patient knowledge: You can get vitamin D through diet, supplements and through the Sun during the summer months.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb the calcium (lime), you eat, and your body, in addition to the calcium has therefore need the fat soluble vitamin D (called vitamin D3).

Where does vitamin D from?

The body produces even the vast majority of the vitamin D it needs when the skin is irradiated by the Sun. In addition, the vitamin D consumed through diet and supplements. In the dark months (from autumn break for the Easter holidays), it is important to supplement his diet with a dietary supplement containing vitamin D. If you are not staying at least 30 minutes a day in the Sun during the summer period, you should supplement with supplements.

Worth knowing about vitamin D:

Older and dark-skinned persons have reduced ability to transform and absorb vitamin D in the skin.
A number of people have been concerned about overdosage with vitamin D, but large controlled studies showing that vitamin D is toxic only in very large quantities, e.g. 1000 micrograms per day for 6 months.
You can not get too much vitamin D.
Vitamin D is also good for:
Muscle Function. Both muscle strength and balance ability.
The Immune System. Vitamin D strengthens the immune system and may reduce the risk of breast, prostate and colon cancer.


Even if you get vitamin D from many different sources, there is very little risk to exceed the recommended dose.

30 minutes per day in the summer sun is enough
You will be staying in the Sun for 30 minutes without sunscreen every day in summer, formed there enough vitamin D in your skin to cover the daily needs for vitamin D. It need not be sunbathing by the whole body, but just Sun on hands, arms and face.

Although sunlight is good for the production of vitamin D, it can be harmful in other areas. Think, therefore not to stay in the Sun between the hours. 12.00 and 15.00-and avoid sunburn.

Supplement your intake of vitamin D in the winter months

During the winter season (October to March)  the sunlight in the Nordic countries is not strong enough to form vitamin D in the skin. That is why it is in the dark months particularly important to bear in mind that supplementing with vitamin D, either through diet or a vitamin D supplement.

The elderly and individuals with dark skin

The ability of the skin to transform the Sun's rays to vitamin D decreases with age. The elderly over 60 years of age therefore have a greater need for vitamin D supplements.
People with dark skin have a reduced ability to form vitamin D-and people who go veiled, is also at risk of getting a shortage of vitamin D.

Vitamin D supplements

Most multi vitamins contains, as a rule, only about 5mg of vitamin D, which is not enough for you to get your needs covered.

Pure vitamin D tablets have a content of vitamin D on about 5-35 mg per tablet. You can buy them over the counter at pharmacies or health food stores.

Preparations with both calcium and vitamin D

Many types of calcium supplements are fortified with vitamin D. In these preparations is the vitamin D content of about 5-38 µg per 4-500 mg calcium.

Read more about vitamin D

Although vitamin D deficiency does not immediately give some symptoms, it is important to do something about this. read more about vitamin D in the diet.