2023-06-06 16:03:19
Vitamin D is produced by the body itself with the help of the sun. But how much vitamin D does the body actually need and how long should you stay in the sun?
The body needs Vitamin Dto utilize calcium and phosphorus well and thus contributes to healthy bones, teeth and muscles. Vitamin D also has a special status among vitamins: it is produced by the skin itself with the help of sunlight. But how much vitamin D does the body need per day?
How much vitamin D does the body need per day?
Die German Society for Nutrition (DGE) has published estimates of daily vitamin D requirements. Anyone who stays in the sun long enough every day does not need any additional vitamin D. The following values therefore only refer to days when the body cannot produce any vitamin D itself:
- Infants (0 to less than 12 months): 10 mcg/day
- Children (1 to under 15 years): 20 µg/day
- Adolescents and adults (15 to under 65 years): 20 µg/day
- Adults (65 years and older): 20 µg/day
- Pregnant women: 20 µg/day
- Breastfeeding: 20 µg/day
Many vitamin D preparations are not given in µg/day, but in international units (IU). According to the DGE, these are converted as follows:
- 1 µg = 40 International Units (IU); 1 IU = 0.025 µg
Converted, the following applies to children and adults: According to the DGE, anyone who has not spent enough time in the sun over a long period of time could contribute to an adequate vitamin D supply with preparations with a dosage of 800 IU.
There are also some on the market Vitamin D tablets, which are very highly dosed at 20,000 IU. These should only be taken after consulting a doctor, as a Vitamin D overdose can lead to serious consequences. The first symptoms of an overdose may be nausea or vomiting. There is no need to worry about a one-off overdose with preparations that exceed the daily requirement. However, if you take it for a longer period of time, problems can arise, since vitamin D is a fat-soluble Vitamin is stored by the body.
Video: SAT.1
Sunbeams: This is how much vitamin D the body needs
For a sufficient supply of vitamin D, the DGE recommends spending a total of five to 25 minutes a day in the sun, depending on the season. There Vitamin D through the skin is formed, face, hands and arms should not be covered with clothing.
The amount of time you can spend in the sun without blushing depends on your skin type. Lighter skin types (1 to 3) should be careful when sunbathing. According to that Federal Office for Radiation Protection you should estimate from which UV dose you would get a sunburn and accordingly only spend half the time in the sun.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) to the risk group for one Vitamin D Deficiency. Due to the higher pigmentation of the skin, the UV rays, which are necessary for the formation of vitamin D, cannot penetrate well. So you have to spend significantly more time in the sun to have a sufficient vitamin D level in your body. According to that Swiss Federal Office of Public Health Depending on your skin type, you can use the following times as a guide:
Especially UV-sensitive people with light skin and children
Late morning | Midday | Afternoon | |
January and December | >4h | 1.5 to 2.5 hours | too little Exposition |
February and November | 2.5 to 3.5 hours | 30 minutes to 1.5 hours | 2 to 3 hours |
March and October | 1 to 2 hours | 15 mins to 30 mins | 30 minutes to 3 hours |
April and September | 30 to 45 mins | 10 min | 15 to 30 mins |
May and August | 15 to 30 mins | 5 to 10 mins | 10 to 15 mins |
June and July | 15 to 20 minutes | 5 to 10 mins | 10 to 15 mins |
Normal UV-sensitive people with medium-light skin
Late morning | Midday | Afternoon | |
January and December | >5h | 2 to 7 hours | too little Exposition |
February and November | 3 to 5 hours | 45 minutes to 2.5 hours | too little Exposition |
March and October | 1 to 2 hours | 30 to 45 mins | 45 minutes to 2.5 hours |
April and September | 45 to 60 minutes | 10 to 20 mins | 20 to 60 minutes |
May and August | 20 to 45 mins | 10 to 15 mins | 15 to 30 mins |
June and July | 20 to 30 mins | 10 to 15 mins | 15 to 20 minutes |
Less UV-sensitive people with dark skin
Late morning | Midday | Afternoon | |
January and December | >7h | too little Exposition | too little Exposition |
February and November | 4 to 8 hours | 1.5 hours to 5 hours | too little Exposition |
March and October | 2 to 4 hours | 45 minutes to 1.5 hours | too little Exposition |
April and September | 60 to 120 mins | 20 to 60 minutes | 45 minutes to 3.5 hours |
May and August | 45 to 90 minutes | 20 to 30 mins | 30 to 60 mins |
June and July | 40 to 75 minutes | 20 to 30 mins | 30 to 60 mins |
As can be seen from the table, people in Germany who are less UV-sensitive cannot get enough vitamin D from the sun’s rays from October to March. Even lighter skin types would have to spend four hours outdoors to produce a total of 600 IU of vitamin D – which is not the case for many due to the cold temperatures. Although the body falls back on its vitamin D stores in fat and muscles in winter, it can be useful to take additional supplements after consulting a doctor.
These tables should only be used as a guide. The DGE also writes that the individual need for UV light varies greatly. The duration of solar radiation also depends on the latitude.
Vitamin D levels: when does the body need more?
A blood test is done to check how much vitamin D is in the body. According to the RKI, the content is measured using 25-hydroxyvitamin D, a precursor to active vitamin D. Depending on the source, the values are given in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) or nanomoles per liter a(nmol/l). Here is the overview:
25 (OH)D in ng/ml | possible effects |
<12 | Vitamin D Deficiency Risk for:
|
12 bis <20 | Suboptimal supply |
20 bis <50 | Sufficient for bones and general health |
≥50 | Possible oversupply, with potential health consequences Risk for:
|
Those: RKI and Institute of Medicine
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