FSAI publishes scientific report on vitamin D nutrition
Report will inform the Department of Health’s national guidelines on how to achieve optimal vitamin D nutrition
Print16 February 2023
A report on vitamin D recommendations for people aged between 5 and 65 years in Ireland has been published by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
The publication marks the first time that vitamin D nutrition has been examined in terms of how people aged 5–65 years can achieve optimal intakes for long term health.
In addition to food sources, vitamin D supplements are recommended for everyone, in particular teenagers, pregnant women and people of dark-skinned ethnicity who are at highest risk of vitamin D deficiency.
The report issued by the FSAI’s Scientific Committee: ‘Vitamin D: Scientific Recommendations for 5 to 65 Year Olds Living in Ireland’ details the health consequences of vitamin D deficiency, which mainly affect bone health (rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults). Although vitamin D deficiency has been linked with higher risk of respiratory infections, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, inflammatory disorders, certain cancers and infectious diseases including Covid-19, this is not proven.
The report will now inform the Department of Health’s national guidelines on how to achieve optimal vitamin D nutrition in people aged 5–65 years. The report complements three previous FSAI reports which focussed on vitamin D nutrition for infants (first year of life), young children (aged 1-5 years) and older adults (aged 65 and older).
The publication describes foods that help to meet vitamin D requirements, including foods naturally rich in vitamin D (such as oily fish, meats, and eggs), and vitamin D-fortified foods. How inadvertent sunlight exposure during summer contributes to vitamin D is explained. It also describes why children and adults, who get this sunlight exposure during summer, should consider taking a daily supplement of vitamin D as follows:
- For healthychildren (5-11 years) a daily vitamin D supplement containing 10 µg (400 IU) should be taken:
- during extended winter (end of October to March) for those of fair-skinned ethnicity
- throughout the full year for those of darker-skinned ethnicity
- For healthy teenagers and adults (12-65 years)a daily vitamin D supplement containing 15 µg (600 IU) should be taken:
- during extended winter (end of October to March) for those of fair-skinned ethnicity
- throughout the full year for those of darker-skinned ethnicity
- throughout the full year for those who are pregnant, regardless of ethnicity.
Dr Pamela Byrne, CEO, FSAI welcomed the report clarifying optimal daily doses, current dietary intake and how Ireland can resolve this common nutrient deficiency.
“The weaker sunlight available from October to March in Ireland is not a source of vitamin D,” Dr Byrne said.
“People may be unaware that even on sunny days in winter, the sun’s rays are the wrong type for the production of vitamin D. As a result, we depend on our diets to supply this key vitamin, but levels of vitamin D are limited in our food supply. This results in vitamin D deficiency being common among children and adults in Ireland,” she continued.
“We consider the prevention of vitamin D deficiency to be a public health nutrition priority and this report outlines how we can combat this deficiency through using both natural food sources of vitamin D and fortified foods along with appropriate doses of vitamin D supplements.
The report ‘Vitamin D: Scientific Recommendations for 5 to 65 Year Olds Living in Ireland’ is available to view and download for free here: link.
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