- The so-called ‘sunshine vitamin’ is beneficial for bone and muscle health
Staying indoors too much could be why more than one in three of us suffer from a vitamin D deficiency, a new study suggests.
The so-called “sunshine vitamin” is beneficial for bone and muscle health, helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life – and is also thought to lower the risk of type 1 diabetes, respiratory disease and other conditions.
But Britons of all ages don’t get enough of it, with contributing factors including poor diet, not spending enough time away from home and not taking supplements to make up for the deficiency.
A review for the Food and Nutrition Journal, which looked at research including a study of 210,502 patients who took a vitamin D test, found that one-third did not meet the accepted blood level (30 nmol/liter), rising to two-thirds in dark-skinned people. skins.
Sunlight is the most recognized way to get vitamin D, but it is affected by sunscreen use, air pollution, cloud cover and the melanin content of one’s own skin.
Sunlight is the most well-known way to get vitamin D, but is affected by sunscreen use, air pollution, cloud cover, and the melanin content of a person’s own skin (File image)
Foods such as oily fish and eggs can help, but only in large enough quantities. Meanwhile, it is feared that the increasing movement towards vegetarian and vegan diets will leave out some of these ingredients.
The Food and Nutrition Journal study by the Health and Food Supplements Information Service (HSIS) looked at data, including the government’s own National Diet and Nutrition Survey, which showed that young adults were most likely to be deficient in vitamin D .
A member of the research team, HSIS nutritionist Dr Pamela Mason, said: ‘Closing the gap between vitamin D intake and recommendations is imperative to prevent deficiencies and maintain bone and muscle health, especially to prevent nutritional rickets and osteomalacia. to help prevent.
‘Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone mineralization, which is positively associated with bone mineral density. Good bone health is essential for consolidating bone mass in adulthood and reducing the risk of osteoporosis later in life.’
UK recommendations for daily vitamin D intake are lower than most of Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand.
The so-called ‘sunshine vitamin’ is beneficial for bone and muscle health and helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life (file image)
Dr. Mason added, “Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and fatty fish, such as salmon and mackerel, would need to be consumed several times a week, if not daily, to meet the 10 mcg daily recommendation.”
“This is not acceptable for everyone, and only a few foods, such as some grains and dairy alternatives, are fortified. Supplementation with a multivitamin and multimineral containing vitamin D therefore appears to be the best way to achieve the recommended levels.
‘Vitamin D is cost effective and easy to take. In addition, supplementation offers potential cost savings for the NHS. Healthcare professionals are in a position to routinely advise patients to take a 10 mcg supplement daily and to increase their intake of vitamin D-containing foods.
“Advice should also be strengthened through care homes, local parenting and community groups, and through faith groups.”