Written by Progressive Nutritional

It's winter in Canada. Shudder. The days are cold, the nights are cold, and it seems like the sun goes down at 3:45pm. No matter how hard you commit to a winter wellness routine, the lack of sunshine can make hibernation seem like a good idea. That lack of sunshine is also the reason Canadians need the benefits of vitamin D supplements - while they can't bring the sun back, they can make your whole health a little sunnier.

What does vitamin D do?

Adorably nicknamed ''The Sunshine Vitamin', vitamin D primarily helps keep bones and teeth strong by helping the body absorb phosphorus and calcium from foods. But its power goes beyond just bone strength: tissues all over the body, including in the heart, colon, kidneys, brain, muscle and immune cells, have vitamin D receptors, which means they require vitamin D to function.

How much vitamin D do Canadians need?

Depends on the Canadian!

Health Canada's recommended daily intakes are as follows:

400IU