Blog
28/02/2011
Do you have Vitamin D deficiency?
Have you been craving daylight like me? I felt I must get outdoors in daylight every day and have resorted to taking a Vitamin D supplement too. About 60% of us are apparently deficient in vitamin D and a growing body of research links this nutrient to a long list of health benefits, such as lower blood pressure, stronger bones, better immunity and help for asthma, type 2 diabetes and possibly even a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Vitamin D is necessary for absorption and utilisation of calcium, so you need adequate amounts of vitamin D for healthy bones. A deficiency of vitamin D in children will cause rickets in children and osteomalacia (soft bones) in adults.
I heard of Vitamin D deficiency from a friend in Sydney, Australia. He was suffering from unexplained pain in his chest and other parts of his body. This young man isn’t the outdoor type. He travels to work in a car, gets out in an underground car park both at work and at home, wears sunblock if outdoors so his skin was rarely in natural sunlight. Our bodies manufacture their own vitamin D and sunlight stimulates our bodies to make the production process happen. Unfortunately, sitting in sunlight next to a window won’t work as the glass filters out the UV light that we need although it will help prevent Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Traditionally we’ve never spent as much time indoors as we do now and in winter we go out wrapped up so our skin never sees the sunlight it needs.
Being dark-skinned can make you low on D, as can being overweight as Vitamin D is stored in fat, where it's less not as available to the body. Older people don't synthesize vitamin D as well and you can also be low if you have trouble digesting fats. Living north of 35 degrees latitude means the sun's rays aren't strong enough for you to create D in winter with the problem being worse in Scotland, the North of England and among ethnic minorities.
The government in Scotland is encouraging people to get more vitamin D. Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Health Secretary said, "Vitamin D is key to maintaining healthy bones. Young children have a high risk of deficiency and we are seeing an increase in reported cases of rickets in Scotland. These conditions are easily prevented by improving diet and taking a supplement if you are at risk.”
Researchers from University College London said that everyone should get at least 15 minutes of sunshine a day, if necessary by postponing putting on sun cream until after you have been in the sun for a few minutes.
In winter, can I get enough vitamin D from my diet or do I need to take supplements?
Fortified foods like milk and breakfast cereals sometimes contain vitamin D and good natural sources are egg yolks and fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel. However, it seems you need to eat a lot. One source said that we need 6 ounces of salmon or 47 egg yolks a day to get the 1,000 international units (IU) that are recommended as a daily dose! In the British winter, taking a supplement from autumn to April is a great backup plan. Researchers they found that taking the supplement with the largest meal of their day, rather than in snacks or small meals works best and you absorb more.
Do ask your doctor for a vitamin D test if you think you may be low. It is good to check before supplementing if you think you’re at risk as we all need different amounts. And when the sun shines in winter, get yourself out in it, even for just a few minutes. You’ll feel the benefit!
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