Vitamin D plays a fundamental role in the health of people at any age, but it is even more important in the case of older people. This is because it is essential for the body to correctly absorb calcium and phosphorus, which in turn are essential for strong and resistant bones.
While from the first year of life to age 70 the recommended dietary amount of vitamin D is 600 international units per day, this increases to 800 international units per day for people over 70 years of age. In general terms, it is easy to meet these levels in the sunniest months of the year, since the sun is the main source through which we obtain vitamin D.
However, we can also receive it thanks to foods rich in vitamin D, such as fatty fish such as salmon, fish liver oil, eggs and foods fortified with this nutrient available on the market, such as some ranges of fortified milk.
As mentioned, the sun is the main source of vitamin D and, although in spring and summer we are more exposed to it, in autumn and winter days or even weeks can go by without sunlight touching our skin. This depends on many factors, such as people's lifestyle or the weather in the area where they live.
Furthermore, the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) warns that not all people synthesize a sufficient amount of vitamin D through the sun or diet. This can lead to alterations in the human body, since it is a hormone that participates in many internal processes, mainly the regulation of calcium and phosphorus, as well as the modulation of the immune response.
The aforementioned organization points out that it is not advisable to abuse supplements, since excessively high levels of vitamin D can be counterproductive and generate toxic effects. In this regard, they highlight that there are several factors that influence the synthesis of vitamin D, such as levels of sun exposure, skin phototype, obesity, intake of certain medications, some pathologies or diseases and age. As we age, our ability to synthesize this vitamin decreases.
There is no unified consensus on the need to take vitamin D supplementation in winter, but this will depend on the particular case of each person. However, it is most convenient for a doctor to evaluate the patient's circumstances and analyze whether he or she receives the correct supply of vitamin D through sun exposure or diet, as well as to prescribe with professional follow-up the convenience of resorting to taking supplements.
