What are Vitamins a, D and E?

Vitamins a, D and E: Essential Nutrients

Vitamins A, D and E are essential nutrients for our body. They are important for growth, recovery and proper functioning of the body and maintaining our health.

Vitamins naturally occur in our diet, such as in fruits, vegetables and bread. The body cannot produce vitamins itself or not in sufficient quantities. To get enough vitamins daily through diet, it’s important to eat healthily and varied.

Möller’s Omega-3 products are (in addition to omega-3 fatty acids) rich in vitamins A, D and E.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A, also known as retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is important for good eyesight. Additionally, vitamin A is good for the skin, gums and hair and plays an important role in growth and good immunity.

Vitamin a During Pregnancy

Vitamin A plays an important role in growth. Sufficient vitamin A during pregnancy is therefore important, but an excess of this vitamin should be avoided. During pregnancy, don’t eat too many vitamin A-rich products, such as liver, pâté and liverwurst. A slice of liver pâté contains about 350 micrograms of vitamin A, for example. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A during pregnancy is 1,000 micrograms per day (the maximum safe dose for pregnant women is 3,000 micrograms per day).

Möller’s Omega-3 contains 250 micrograms of vitamin A per tablespoon and is therefore a safe amount during pregnancy.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble vitamins. The two most important forms are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol, the plant form) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, the animal form). The body can produce this itself. Under the influence of sunlight, it is formed in the skin. In addition, the body also needs vitamin D from food.

What Does Vitamin D Do?

Vitamin D is the most important immunity vitamin, it ensures a strong immune system. Additionally, this vitamin, which your body produces by exposing your skin sufficiently to sunlight, is important for strong bones and teeth. It promotes the absorption of the minerals calcium and phosphorus in our body. The muscles also benefit from a sufficient vitamin D level, as the absorption of calcium is influenced by vitamin D.

The Sun as a Source

Sunlight is important for the production of vitamin D. The sun is not directly a source, but the body produces vitamin D3 itself when the skin is exposed to sunlight. However, this production depends on sufficient sunlight on larger parts of the skin. And then for a period of up to 20 minutes per day, depending on skin color. The darker the skin, the more exposure to sunlight your body needs.

Read here about the influence of sunscreen on the production of vitamin D.

Foods with Vitamin D3

Only a few foods are a good source of vitamin D. Foods where it naturally occurs are fatty fish species (such as herring, salmon and mackerel), fish oil (especially the oil from fish livers, such as cod liver oil) and egg yolks.

Is your Vitamin D Level Sufficient?

After summer, the days become shorter and less sunny, causing our skin to be exposed to insufficient sunlight. As a result, the body is unable to produce enough vitamin D. This creates a deficiency, which is anything but healthy. It has been scientifically proven that a lack of sunlight can also lead to listlessness and depression. In the winter period, almost 60% of the Dutch have a deficiency. Even in summer, this percentage is still 35%. It is therefore important to supplement this deficiency with food or supplements, such as Möller’s Omega-3.

For pregnant women, children up to 4 years old, people with dark skin, elderly people and people who don’t go outside much, a supplement of 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day is recommended anyway.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E, also known as tocopherol, is a fat-soluble vitamin and is important for maintaining immunity. It is an antioxidant (= substance that protects the body against free radicals). Furthermore, vitamin E plays a role in maintaining muscle tissue and the production of red blood cells.