By: Aleida Lopez Gimenez | Updated By: Amy Vespa, Nutritionist (10/2/23)

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for our health, as it helps regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphate in our bodies. We get it mainly from exposure to sunlight, and also through some foods like fish or eggs.

It is needed to grow strong bones, muscles, and teeth. That is why it’s such an important nutrient for babies’ development and should not be overlooked, as its deficiency can cause serious health problems. Many health organizations throughout the world recommend vitamin D supplementation for newborn babies to avoid and potential risks and help the infants develop strong and healthy.

Consequences of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for our health, as it helps regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphate in our bodies. It is needed to grow strong bones, muscles, and teeth. The consequences of vitamin D deficiency in infancy usually appear as seizures caused by low blood calcium, difficulty breathing, and rickets, a condition that affects bone development in children and causes pain, poor growth, and soft, weak bones that can lead to deformities.

In adults, vitamin D deficiency manifests as osteomalacia, similar to rickets in children, and can lead to osteoporosis in the long run. It has also been associated with certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the colon, breast, and prostate, hypertension, diabetes, and autoimmune conditions such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Lack of vitamin D has also been proven correlated to multiple sleep disorders in adults, such as a decrease in sleep duration and worsening of sleep quality. This correlation is less evident in babies and children, but a recent study found correlations between vitamin D deficiency and decreased sleep duration, and poor sleep efficiency. Disturbances in a baby’s sleeping pattern can be harmful and cause problems in their brain and body’s development.

Sunlight Exposure

Vitamin D is not technically a vitamin. It is, in fact, a type of chemical produced in our own skin. Through exposure to the sun, ultraviolet energy is converted into vitamin D3, which, in turn, is carried to the liver and then the kidneys to transform it into active vitamin D.

Sunlight, then, is essential for good health - exposing your sunscreen-free body for just 15-20 minutes in summer sun (or 45-60 minutes for darker skin) will produce 10,000-20,000 IU of vitamin D in 24 hours. 

Of course, many of us don’t do this because we use sunscreen, which blocks the necessary UV rays, or we stay out of the sun. Babies have to be kept from too much sunlight exposure as they are prone to sunstroke because of dehydration. Also, prolonged exposure to the sun can result in sunburns, eye damage, and skin cancer.

On the other hand, up to 40% of the US population don’t get enough sun in order to produce the needed amount of vitamin D. More time indoors, constant sunscreen use, darker skin tone, and socioeconomic status all contribute to deficiency.

Foods and Supplements

Food alone cannot give you enough Vitamin D, but some foods can contribute to your total intake, such as:

• Salmon

• Sardines

• Cod liver oil

• Canned tuna

• Egg yolks

• Mushrooms

Eating more of these foods is great for overall health, but they will not correct a Vitamin D deficiency - only supplementing can significantly increase your levels. Pediatricians currently recommend 400 iu of vitamin D for breastfed infants. However, several studies have shown that if a mother is supplementing with 5000 to 6400 iu daily or a single monthly dose of 150,000 iu of Vitamin D, the baby is getting a sufficient amount. (This is based on the mother’s Vitamin D levels, so it’s important to get yours checked first!)

Conclusion

It is essential that you talk to your pediatrician or health care provider about the vitamin D intake of your baby. They might recommend vitamin D drops or tablets, and a specific daily dose depending on your specific feeding approach. This way, you can avoid any potential health issues related to vitamin D deficiency in your baby’s development.