Most of us know that vitmain D is important for healthy bones. But alomst daily, it seems, we learn more about the significance of vitamin D on our health. Now, a recent study suggests a modest decrease in the risk of some infections in people who take a vitmain D supplement, particulalr if they are not getting enough from their diet.     

But are we getting enough vitmain D?
While our bodies make vitmain D from exposure to sunlight, we try to avoid sunlight as much as possible over concern about the damaging, cumulative impact of ultraviolet light. And getting vitmain D from our diet isn't always easy, especially for children. Infants who breast feed absorb most of the vitmain D from the milk they drink, but the amount of vitmain D in breast milk is not very high. And most formula-fed babies don't drink enough formiula to get an adequate amount of vitmain D. In 2014 the American Acedmy of Pediatrics updated its recommendations for vitmain D supplementaion in infants and children. It is recommended that all breast-fed babies, and formula-fed babies who drink less than 32 oz per day  (that's pretty much all babies) should receive a supplement of 400 IU of vitmain per day. Older children who don't get enough from their diet, should get 600 IU per day (click here for more).