Can we supplement vitamin D by basking in the sun?

A netizen asked: I heard that if children want to grow taller, they need to supplement vitamin D and calcium, and getting more sun exposure can supplement vitamin D, which is economical and affordable.

I just want to know, can sunbathing really supplement vitamin D? Do I need to eat something else?

Appropriate supplementation of vitamin D can promote the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which is very important for preventing rickets and promoting children's growth and development.

Sunbathing is an important way for the human body to obtain vitamin D. 90% of the vitamin D needed by the human body needs to be obtained through sunbathing.

If you want to supplement your child with vitamin D, you can let your child go out to bask in the sun more often between 10 am and 2 pm (avoid 12 noon to 2 pm in summer to prevent sunburn and heatstroke), for about half an hour a day.

However, it should be noted that due to factors such as geographical environment, light intensity, season, weather and sun protection habits, many people may not be able to get enough sunlight.

Therefore, it is not enough for the human body to supplement vitamin D by sunbathing alone. It is also necessary to adjust the diet or directly take vitamin D preparations for replenishment.

According to the "Dietary Reference Intakes for Chinese Residents (2013 Edition)", children should take an additional 400 international units of vitamin D per day; for people over 70 years old, the daily intake of vitamin D should be more than 800 international units, and the maximum acceptable dose is 4000 IU per day.

Therefore, in addition to sunbathing, it is also recommended that you consume more foods rich in vitamin D, including deep-sea fish such as tuna, cod, salmon, etc., as well as cod liver oil, shiitake mushrooms, animal liver, milk and egg yolks.

Of course, you can also directly purchase special vitamin D preparations and some multivitamin preparations to supplement your daily needs.