Since 2019 the Government have been promoting the advise to take supplements of Vitamin D during the winter months, in particularly between the end of September and the beginning of April.
WHY!!!
During the summer months the majority of us make enough Vitamin D from sunlight on our skin, however during the winter months the sun is too low in the sky for us to benefit from the sunlight.
It is recommended that we should absorb 10 micrograms (sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g (μg)) or 400IU (International Units) per day as a minimum.
Vitamin D can also be found in some of the foods we eat i.e.
Food | Serving Size | Calories | Amount | GDA % (Guideline Daily Amount) |
Margarine | 10g | 69 | 28IU | 7% |
Tuna | 75g | 142 | 175IU | 43% |
Sardines | 100g | 220 | 272IU | 68% |
Mackerel | 160g | 382 | 552IU | 90% |
Eggs | 61g | 90 | 20IU | 6% |
Butter | 10g | 74 | 5IU | 6% |
Cooked Liver | 100g | 176 | 40IU | 12% |
Herrings, Shrimp, Yogurt (Fortified), Cod Liver Oil, Milk (Fortified) Cereals & Oatmeal's (Fortified) Orange Juice (Fortified) All Fortified Foods.
Importance of Vitamin D.
Our Health and Well-being benefit from before birth by our parents absorbing enough Vitamin D, right up until we depart this world.
Rickets - a rare condition found in children
Inherited bone disorders - due to the inability to absorb and process Vitamin D, for example hypophosphatemia
Multiple Sclerosis - Patients show low levels of Vitamin D
Osteomalacia - loss of bone mineral content, bone pain, muscle weakness and soft bones
Osteoporosis - bone mineral loss, bone fractures
Psoriasis - Plaque - type psoriasis
Cognitive Health - Early research shows low levels of Vitamin D in blood, in patients with declined Cognitive Health (Dementia)
Heart Health - Vitamin D deficiency link to heart disease
Mental Health - Vitamin D linked to regulating mood and decreasing depression
The Department of Health and Social Care also recommend that adults and children over 4 take a daily supplement containing 10micrograms of Vitamin D throughout the year if they are not often outdoors, or living within a Care Home or Similar, or wear clothing that covers the majority of their skin when outside.
Also people of dark skin - for example African, African-Caribbean or South Asian background often don't make enough Vitamin D from Sunlight.
Vitamin D most important benefit is it boosts our immune system, research proves it supports people to respond to Covid and possibly reduce the risk, but on going research is being conducted.
Do you absorb enough Vitamin D or do you need a supplement...
NOTE: Vitamin D is fat soluble, which means its not easy to get rid of excess, this is why you can overdose. Its important you take enough and not too much as can cause side effects of loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation, which then it can develop into excessive thirst, fatigue, pain, headaches, confusion, irregular heartbeat, frequent urination and kidney stones. It's important to listen to your body and recognise dose required for your own body. Speaking and seeking advice from a Doctor or Pharmacist for best advice.
Resources;