Vitamin D levels in Australians

Vitamin D levels in Australians

Intersting survey especially if you live in the southern states. You may need to supplement in the winter time. Victorians take note!!


“In the 2011-12 Australian Health Survey 23% of Australian adults were vitamin D deficient (<50nmol/L). This included 17% who were mildly deficient (30-49 nmol/L), 6% who were moderately deficient (13-29 nmol/L) and less than 1% who were severely deficient (<13nmol/L).[18] Vitamin D levels varied considerably by season with deficiency less common in summer (14%) than in winter (36%).

While there was little variation between the states and territories in summer, in winter vitamin D deficiency was more common in Victoria (49%), ACT (49%) and Tasmania (43%), but remained low in Queensland (15%) and the Northern Territory (17%). Vitamin D deficiency was more common among those living in major cities (27%) compared with those living in regional (16%) and remote areas (9%)[18].”

[wiki.cancer.org.au]

Quote
Dean
Vitamin D levels in Australians

“In the 2011-12 Australian Health Survey 23% of Australian adults were vitamin D deficient (<50nmol/L). This included 17% who were mildly deficient (30-49 nmol/L), 6% who were moderately deficient (13-29 nmol/L) and less than 1% who were severely deficient (<13nmol/L).[18] Vitamin D levels varied considerably by season with deficiency less common in summer (14%) than in winter (36%).

While there was little variation between the states and territories in summer, in winter vitamin D deficiency was more common in Victoria (49%), ACT (49%) and Tasmania (43%), but remained low in Queensland (15%) and the Northern Territory (17%). Vitamin D deficiency was more common among those living in major cities (27%) compared with those living in regional (16%) and remote areas (9%)[18].”

Just a note, to convert from nmol/L to ng/mL, divide by 2.5. So 50 nmol/L = 20 ng/mL. Most references I've seen use 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) as a cutoff for sufficient and better to have 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L) or more.

Aloha Dean

Not sure how dark your skin pigmentation is, but it appears that darker skin can overwhelm the benefits of plentiful sunshine.
The following is a study from the Philippines (use George's conversion above to get ng/ml => 35ng/ml is barely adequate; don't fear the 5000IU target)

Here’s one from Indonesia (mild, ordinary, severe, critical)

And here’s one from Europe
[orthomolecular.org]
And as we leave summer