With the days getting shorter, the vitamin D question comes up every winter. The honest answer is more specific than the supplement aisle suggests.

What it does

Vitamin D helps the gut absorb calcium and keeps bones from becoming thin or brittle. It prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and together with calcium it helps protect older adults from osteoporosis.

Where it comes from

Vitamin D is naturally present in only a few foods, is added to others such as fortified milk, and is made by the skin when sunlight hits it – which is why levels can dip when the days get short.

Who needs a test – and who doesn’t

Here is the part worth knowing: the Endocrine Society does not recommend routine vitamin D testing for healthy individuals. Blood levels of 20 ng/mL or more are considered sufficient for most people, while the risk of deficiency rises below 12 ng/mL.

Who should actually have the conversation

Supplementation is a specific discussion, not a blanket rule – infants, the elderly, and people with risk factors should ask their doctor whether they need it and how much.

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Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements. This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please speak to your doctor about your own situation.