Have you had enough sun this Winter?

The Beginners Guide to Vitamin D

Have you had enough sunshine this winter?

 

 

Vitamin D is important for health and is needed for strong bones, cell growth and nerve, muscle and immune system function. It helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.

These nutrients are needed to keep bones and teeth healthy. It can be stored in the body for around 60 days. Ideally, we’d have lots of summer sun, so our bodies can stock up on enough to see us through winter. Vitamin D is also found in food and supplements.

 

If your shadow is longer than you are tall, you are not making much vitamin D.

Time of day, season, and latitude all determine the amount of UVB that reaches your skin. When the Sun's rays enter the Earth's atmosphere at too much of an angle, the atmosphere diffuses (blocks) the UVB portion of the rays. This occurs during the early and latter parts of the day, during the winter season (what is called “Vitamin D Winter”), and increases as one moves further away from the equator. A good rule of thumb is: If your shadow is longer than you are tall (an indicator of the oblique angle of the Sun), you are not making much vitamin D.

Deficiency?

People with Vitamin D deficiency are more prone to broken bones and fractures.
Symptoms of  bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency, although for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Even if there are no symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:

• increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• cognitive impairment in older adults
• asthma in children
• Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type 1 and type 2 diabetes

How can we absorb more Vitamin D?

Milk, eggs, oily fish and mushrooms all contain good levels of Vitamin D. Cereal and bread is often fortified with it. However for at least six months of the year as many as 50% of the UK population have insufficient levels of Vitamin D and 16% have a more serious deficiency. So it might be a good time of year to take a supplement.  The potency  for maintaining optimum vitamin D levels in healthy individuals is 1,000 IU of pure, vitamin D3 two to three times a day. Make sure you buy a reputable brand such as Solgar, Quest or Thorne.