Multiply vitamin D recommendations by four in winterMultiply vitamin D recommendations by four in winter

We know a little sunshine keeps us warm and helps our body produce vitamin D, and maybe we even take vitamin D supplements to compensate during winter months. Now researchers from the University of Maine are saying adults need four times the current recommended daily dose of vitamin D during the winter.

Recommended daily intake (RDI) levels of vitamin are currently at 200 IU for people up to 50 years old, 400 IU for people between the ages of 51 and 70 and 600 IU for anyone over 70 years old. However, because many experts have argued that a higher minimum RDI is necessary for a healthy body, both US and Canadian governments will begin reviewing vitamin D and calcium, leading to a possible increase in RDI.

Vitamin D is often considered a silent epidemic, especially during winter months when skin isn’t exposed and can’t produce D3, the more bioactive form of vitamin D. With adequate amounts of vitamin D, it’s no longer just a bone builder. It can reduce the risk of some cancers, dementia, type-1 diabetes, and heart disease. It may even help ward off the common cold.

For more information, check out these informative articles on vitamin D.