The information on this page is adjusted from Vitamin D | NHS inform

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate levels in the body. These are essential for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.

Our main source of vitamin D is sunlight. In Scotland, we only get enough of the right type of sunlight for our bodies to make vitamin D between April and September, mainly between 11am and 3pm. From October to March, most people will not make enough vitamin D from sunlight and need to rely on diet and supplements.

Vitamin D Supplements

Everyone in Scotland should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement containing 10 micrograms (400 IU). This is particularly important during the winter months (October to March).

Between April and September, most people aged 5 years and over will get enough vitamin D from sunlight when spending time outdoors and may choose not to take a supplement during these months.

People at Higher Risk of Low Vitamin D

Some people are more likely to have low vitamin D levels and should take a daily supplement of 10 micrograms (400 IU) all year round. This includes:

• all pregnant and breastfeeding women

• infants and children under 5 years old, unless they are drinking more than 500 ml of infant formula per day

• people with little or no sun exposure, including those who:

  • cover their skin for cultural reasons
  • are housebound
  • spend long periods indoors
  • live in a care home

• people from minority ethnic groups with darker skin, such as those of African, African-Caribbean or South Asian background, as darker skin needs more sunlight to produce the same amount of vitamin D

Vitamin D Blood Test Results

When vitamin D levels are checked, results are usually reported as:

• Deficient: less than 30 nmol/L

• Insufficient: 30–50 nmol/L

• Adequate: above 50 nmol/L

In most cases, if your vitamin D level is deficient or insufficient, we will advise treatment as outlined below.

Vitamin D Deficiency (less than 30 nmol/L)

If your result shows vitamin D deficiency, the practice will contact you.

In line with NHS Lanarkshire guidelines, we are likely to prescribe high-dose vitamin D replacement (40,000–50,000 IU) once weekly for 7 weeks.

After completing this course, we recommend a long-term maintenance dose of 800 IU (20 micrograms) daily. This will usually be added to your repeat prescription.

Vitamin D Insufficiency (30–50 nmol/L)

If your vitamin D level is insufficient, it is recommended that you take a daily supplement of 800 IU (20 micrograms) of vitamin D.

Vitamin D insufficiency is extremely common in Scotland. Therefore, NHS Scotland and NHS Lanarkshire recommend that people with vitamin D insufficiency buy supplements over the counter from a supermarket or pharmacy, rather than receiving a prescription from their GP.