Vitamin D Advice for Patients

Spring Hall Group Practice

Vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children, and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults.

What do I do if I am lacking in Vitamin D?

You need to take a loading dose for the first time and then continue with a maintenance dose each day for life. If you stop your daily maintenance dose and your symptoms reappear, you will need to take the loading dose once again and remember to continue on the maintenance dose.

Once you have been diagnosed as having vitamin D deficiency you do not need regular blood tests to monitor your vitamin D levels.

What dose should I take?

If you have been found to be deficient, you will require a loading dose:

Adults and children over 12 years of age               20,000iu x2 tablets every week for 8 weeks

Children 1 years -6 years                                       3000 iu daily for 8 weeks

Children 6 years -12years                                      6000 iu daily for 8 weeks

Children 12 years -18 years                                   10000 iu daily for 8 weeks

Some people will not get enough vitamin D from sunlight because they have very little or no sunshine exposure. They should take a maintenance dose every day for life

  • Adults and children over 12 years old of 1000iu
  • Children aged 1 year -12 years 400iu (e.g. ABIDEC 1 drop)
  • Babies from birth to 1 year of age who are being breastfed should be given a daily supplement containing 400iu of vitamin D to make sure they get enough. This is whether or not you’re taking a supplement containing vitamin D yourself.
  • Babies fed infant formula shouldn’t be given a vitamin D supplement if they’re having more than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day, because infant formula is fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.

You can buy vitamin D supplements or vitamin drops containing vitamin D (for under 5s) in many shops, including pharmacies and supermarkets.

The NHS is promoting self-care to help patients take responsibility for their own health.

1 month’s supply of maintenance 1000iu Vitamin D is approximately £1.

If you are unsure of the dose, the pharmacist will be able to advise you as to which preparation to buy.