Although the sun is our major natural source of vitamin D, you’ll also find it in foods
such as oily fish (salmon, sardines and swordfish) cod liver oil, fortified breakfast
cereals, eggs, butter, fortified milk, meat and UV-exposed mushrooms.

Getting all your vitamin D needs from foods is virtually impossible so a combination
of safe sun and vitamin D-containing foods is wise. Professor Mason advises, ‘Any
old sunlight won’t do. The energetic UVB-rays that make vitamin D are
around for most of the day in summer, but only around noon in winter,
particularly in southern parts of Australia.’

For most people exposing the arms and hands or equivalent area of skin on either
side of the peak UV periods (10am-3pm) for six to eight minutes on most days of the
week should be enough for the body to produce the vitamin D it requires.

Why supplements are important?

‘In winter, the sun exposure to arms or equivalent needs to be around noon and for
from seven minutes (Cairns) to 30-40mins (Hobart) most days, hands, or equivalent
area of skin exposed, spread over a week to maintain adequate vitamin D levels.’
‘The energetic UV that produces vitamin D is not around in early morning or late
afternoon. In summer, you risk too much UVA exposure for the amount of vitamin
D you make and in winter, in most of Australia you won’t make any vitamin D early
morning or late afternoon’ ends Professor Mason.

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Over the last decade the importance of vitamin D has become more significant and in the forefront of research. It has been common knowledge that vitamin D plays an important role in helping the body to absorb calcium and bone mineralisation. Limited dietary sources of vitamin D and insufficient sun exposure can contribute to vitamin D deficiencies. 

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Knowing the importance of vitamin D and the fact that so many Australians and New Zealanders have a vitamin D deficiency means that it is essential that we are getting enough vitamin D at all times.