Vitamin D & Immunity

Vitamin D is everywhere at the moment - you may have read some articles recently about how good it is for you. While we mainly hear about its role in bone health it plays a key role in supporting the normal functioning of the immune system too which is very important during these worrying times.

Avonmore Super Milk is a rich source of Vitamin D. Just one 250ml glass is fortified with 5 micrograms of Vitamin D - that’s 100% of the EU recommended daily intake of Vitamin D. Included as part of a healthy balanced diet, Avonmore Super Milk is a great choice for you and your growing family.

What do we need vitamin D for?

• Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb more calcium from the food and drink we consume. This is important for the development of healthy bones and teeth.
• Vitamin D also has an established key role in supporting the functioning of the immune system and it may help improve resistance against certain diseases.
• Bone growth is greatest in childhood and teenage years when there are growth spurts – approximately 90% of bone strength is achieved by the age of 18.
• In adulthood, we naturally begin to lose more calcium from our bones than we can replace and that means we begin to lose bone strength. So the more bone strength we can develop during childhood and adolescence the less likely it is that bones will become fragile in later life.

Did you know?

• 1in 8 adults aged 55+ are deficient in Vitamin D* with 94% of primary school children not meeting the daily recommended levels.
• Vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin” because our bodies can make it from the sun. When sunlight hits our skin, the ultra-violet (UVB) sunrays are used to make Vitamin D.
• From October to March, in countries at a latitude greater than 42° North, little or no vitamin D can be produced by the body due to the quality and quantity of sunlight – Ireland’s latitude is 51-55° North.
• Older Adults (70 years +) are also at greater risk of Vitamin D deficiency for a number of reasons including their ability to synthesise Vitamin D from sunlight is debilitated.** Due to recent government recommendations, this age cohort may now lack the opportunity for sun exposure and therefore the importance of consuming dietary sources of Vitamin D (see table below) is extremely important to ensure sufficient levels.

Food Sources of Vitamin D
 

Table source: McCance and Widdowson’s. The Composition of Foods. Seventh Summary Edition. FSA. Food Portion Sizes. Third Edition. *Manufacturer Information, varies by brand. 

Article sources:

* Vitamin D deficiency in Ireland – implications for COVID-19. Results from the Irish Longitudinal Study (TILDA); April 2020. IUNA, National Adult Nutrition Survey 2011 & National Childhood Nutrition Survey 2019.

** Gallagher et al. Vitamin D and Aging. Endocrinal Metab Clin North Am. 2013 Jun; 42(2): 319-332. Avonmore Super Milk contains 5ug of Vitamin D per 250ml glass, based on EU Reference intake for Vitamin D of 5µg’