[lostlogin]

Or alternatively you can just go outside for a bit.

[cperciva]

You could sunbathe naked in Vancouver for six months a year and not get enough vitamin D.

[lostlogin]

I had a look, and while that's an exaggeration it's certainly hard to get enough of it in winter. In summer in Calgary it's 600IU per min while in winter it takes 2 hours 42 minutes to get that much. http://purenorth.ca/vitamin-d-your-health/how-much-do-i-need...

[cperciva]

That calculator is assuming "midday sun", which doesn't last for very long. (Also, I've been told that 1500 IU/day is what I should aim for.)

[lostlogin]

That's a lot more than the likes of the Mayo clinic recommend but presumably there is a reason for that. Even if there wasn't, nearly 3 hours outside per day in winter is not that attractive sounding.

[cperciva]

My understanding is that 600 IU/day is a "we have lots of evidence that getting less than this is bad" whereas 1500 IU/day is "we know this is completely safe, and there's some evidence that it's better than 600 IU/day". Rather like vitamin C, there's some debate about how much is optimal, but you need to take truly astounding amounts in order to cause adverse effects.

[seanmcdirmid]

Just wear enough protection, especially if you are in austrailia. Skin cancer is also on the rise.

[fian]

But not too much protection:

http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/the-great-a...