18/11/2025
🌤️ Vitamin D in Australia—What You Should Know! 🌤️
As we head into summer here in Australia, many people assume they’re getting plenty of vitamin D. But interestingly, vitamin D deficiency is still common, even in our sunny climate—and I’m getting lots of questions about supplementation this time of year.
🦴 Why vitamin D matters 🦴
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in keeping your body functioning at its best. It helps with:
🦷Bone and teeth health – it aids calcium absorption and supports strong bones, helping prevent osteoporosis.
💪 Muscle function – low levels can contribute to muscle weakness and aches.
🤒 Immune support – it helps your immune system respond effectively to infections.
😄 Mood regulation – emerging research links low vitamin D to mood changes and low energy.
🧴☀️ 1. Even in sunny Australia, vitamin D isn’t guaranteed.
Our strong UV levels mean sunscreen is essential to protect against skin cancer—but because sunscreen blocks UVB, it can also reduce the amount of vitamin D your body produces. Combine that with factors like time of day, cloud cover, shade, clothing, and skin tone, and it’s easy to see why short or incidental sun exposure often isn’t enough, even in summer.
That said, it’s never worth skipping sunscreen. The risk of skin cancer in Australia is among the highest in the world, and sunscreen remains one of our most important protective tools. Instead of going without sun protection, it’s safer to maintain sun-safe habits and support your vitamin D through diet, supplements, or testing if needed.
💊 2. Supplementation is often a simple and safe solution.
For many adults, 1000 IU daily is a common maintenance range, though individual needs vary. Your doctor or pharmacist may recommend checking your blood levels to personalise your dose.
🍽️ 3. Take vitamin D with food for best absorption.
Because it’s fat-soluble, pairing your dose with a meal that includes healthy fats helps your body use it effectively. Here are some great examples of healthy, fat–rich foods that help your body absorb vitamin D more effectively:
🥑 Avocado
Smooth, versatile, and packed with monounsaturated fats.
🫒 Olives & Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Drizzle over salads, veggies, or cooked meals.
🐟 Fatty Fish
Such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna—also naturally contain some vitamin D.
🥜 Nuts & Nut Butters
Almonds, walnuts, cashews, natural peanut butter, almond butter.
🌰 Seeds
Chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds.
🥥 Coconut & Coconut Oil
Great in cooking or smoothies.
🍳 Eggs
Especially the yolk, which contains both healthy fats and a small amount of vitamin D.
⚠️ 4. Don’t overdo it.
More isn’t better—very high doses can cause problems. Always check with a healthcare professional before taking large or long-term high-dose supplements.
So even under our bright Australian sun, vitamin D deficiency can still sneak up on you. If you’re unsure about your levels, chat with your GP or pop into the pharmacy—we’re always here to help you choose the right supplement safely.
💬 Have questions or recipe suggestions that contain healthy fats? Share them below — Stay sun-safe AND vitamin D smart! ☀️🧴💛
— Rebecca Johnston, Pharmacist 🩺💚
Curra Community Pharmacy
2 David Drive
Curra QLD 4570
P: 07 5481 6699
E: curra@discountchemist.net
