Hot Off The Press – News about Vitamin D

Hi Folks

Everyone should consider taking Vitamin D supplements especially in Autumn and Winter. This is the latest advice from Public Health in England & Wales. A government commissioned report has suggested 10 micrograms daily but many other experts feel this may not be sufficient for some of us.

Small amounts of the vitamin are found in foods such as oily fish, eggs and fortified cereal but the main way of your body obtaining Vitamin D is by the action of sunlight on the skin. For many their diet is unlikely to provide the correct level and it is thought that up to half of us may be deficient.

The main function of Vitamin D is to regulate the amounts of calcium and phosphate in the body which are needed for healthy bones, teeth and muscles and in extreme cases low levels can cause rickets in children leading to weak and misshapen bones and osteomalacia in adults with bony and muscle pains. Low levels of the Vitamin have also been linked to other illnesses including some cancers, multiple sclerosis and heart disease but more research is being done on this to establish exact facts.

Children up to the age of 4 should be given supplements all year round unless they are getting it in Infant Formula Milk. Other high risk categories include pregnant and breast feeding women, over 65’s and the Black and Asian population.

For many years it was thought that we would get enough Vitamin D from exposure to sunlight but increasing concerns about the detrimental effects of the sun have changed opinions and this has been noted in research over the last 5 years. The wearing of sunscreen reduces or even stops the manufacture of Vitamin D.

We welcome this official advice at Natures Healthbox but would like to suggest that you also consider if you are, in fact getting enough exposure to sunlight even in the Summer.  Increasingly sedentary lifestyles, anyone is totally or partially housebound and those whose culture or preference is to be covered up are likely to be at risk. Browse through our website as Vitamin D is available in capsules, liquid and spray with specific products aimed at children.