Vitamin D, The Sunshine Vitamin

With the British winter weather being a bit ugh at the moment, we thought we’d look at the health benefit of sunshine – and how Vitamin D could help your mind and body in this gloomy wet weather.

What is vitamin D and what does it do?

Vitamin D is a substance that your body turns into hormones, leading to a range of health benefits. Vitamin D helps us to absorb calcium and phosphate and is vital for building strong bones, teeth and muscles. Vitamin D also makes sure your intestine absorbs important nutrients. It can even help to improve brain development and function.

How do you get vitamin D naturally?

Vitamin D is dubbed the ‘sunshine vitamin’ because we make most of it through the action of the sun’s rays on our skin. Sunlight gives out ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is made up of UVA, UVB and UVC rays. These vary in strength, and it’s the UVB rays that your body is able to convert into vitamin D. In the UK these rays are not strong enough to make Vitamin D from mid-October to the beginning of April, so it’s important to boost your vitamin D levels in other ways.

Vitamin D is also found in a small range of foods, oily fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel are the best sources. Smaller amounts can be found in fish liver oils, shiitake mushrooms, egg yolks and fortified breakfast cereals and spreads.

Who is at risk of having low vitamin D levels?

Anyone who doesn’t expose their skin to the sun much, or who spends a lot of time indoors.

For example, if you’re housebound, or have a desk job with long hours, or cover your skin for cultural reasons, you may be at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency.

People with dark skin also find it harder to make vitamin D, as do elderly people, vegetarians and vegans also aren’t able to get as much from their diets.

Signs that your vitamin D levels may be low

Some people, even during the summer, don’t spend long enough outside to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D.

Signs of low vitamin D levels can include feeling tired, aching muscles, poor bone and tooth health, and constant colds.

What happens in more serious cases of vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. It can lead to a lack of bone density, which in serious cases can cause conditions like rickets in children, and osteoporosis in adults. It can also increase the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Current UK guidelines for Vitamin D supplements

The current NHS guidelines are that we all need 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D a day.

• Babies under one should take an 8.5 to 10mcg supplement daily.
• Children aged one to four should have a 10mcg supplement daily all year round.
• The only exception to this is children on more than 500ml of infant formula a day, as it’s already fortified.
• Adults and children over five should consider taking 10mcg of vitamin D in autumn and winter.

Those who are at risk of low levels should take a supplement all year round. Having low levels of vitamin D isn’t the same as being deficient but it does increase your risk of deficiency.

Learn more about the latest NHS advice.

If you think your vitamin D levels are low and you may be at risk, speak to your GP. They will ask you more about your habits and find out if you have any symptoms of deficiency, then decide whether to test your vitamin D levels. You can then buy vitamin D supplements over the counter if your GP decides this is necessary.

Fingers crossed the UK weather will brighten up over the coming months and we can all get some natural Vitamin D but in the meantime, it might be worth finding out about Vitamin D supplements.