After we reported on a University of Colorado finding that people over 65 weren’t getting enough vitamin D, several readers wanted more information. Here’s what we learned from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin D Fact Sheet. (More at
http://ods.od.nih.gov/ factsheets/vitamind.asp)
How much of your daily vitamin D needs can you get from just being in the Colorado sunshine?
It’s difficult to generalize because research varies, as do factors affecting UV radiation exposure, but the NIH says that 5-30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. twice a week to the face, arms, legs or back (without sunscreen) usually leads to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. Complete cloud cover reduces UV energy by 50 percent; and shade by 60 percent. The NIH advises limiting exposure to the sun because it’s known to cause skin cancer.
What diet should you follow to get your vitamin D needs through food?
Again, diet will vary depending on the person’s age and food preferences, but few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The NIH’s website lists various foods and the amount of international units per serving they contain and the percent of daily value they provide (based on a daily value of 400 IUs). For example, 1 cup of nonfat, reduced fat or whole fortified milk, contains 98 IUs, 25 percent DV.
Supplements can boost a person’s intake. The University of Colorado Denver School of Pharmacy recommends that the elderly, such as the group of 65- to 89-year-olds they studied, get 1,200 IUs per day. The Institute of Medicine recommends 600 IUs daily for those over age 70.
