Vitamin D is required for:
- Strong and healthy bones – Vitamin D is a vitamin that is needed for good health. It helps the calcium and phosphorous in our diet to be absorbed. Children need vitamin D to build strong bones, and adults need it to keep their bones strong and healthy.
- Muscles and general health – Vitamin D is also thought to be important for muscle growth and for general health.
- It is produced by sunlight exposure – Vitamin D is mostly made in the skin by exposure to sunlight. Very little of our natural diet contains vitamin D, although some foods are fortified (enriched) with it. We get vitamin D from food such as oily fish (Mackerel and Salmon), eggs and Supermilk.
There are two types of vitamin D, vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is the type our bodies make by absorbing sunlight through our skin.
The information on this website is intended for Republic of Ireland residents only
Date of preparation: September 2024
IE-CH-1614