Vitamin D plays many important roles in the body related to bones, growth, inflammation and immunity, among other things. Some people may not get enough vitamin D, according to the National Institutes of Health:
■ Breastfed infants, since human milk is a poor source of the nutrient. (Talk with your child’s doctor about whether a supplement is recommended.)
■ Older adults, since their skin doesn’t make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight as efficiently as when they were younger, and their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form.
■ People with dark skin, because their skin has less ability to produce vitamin D from the sun.
■ People with disorders such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease who don’t handle fat properly, because vitamin D needs fat to be absorbed.
■ Obese people, because their body fat binds to some vitamin D and prevents it from getting into the blood.
If you think you may need a vitamin D supplement, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
— Source: National Institutes of Health