Missing out on a sunny holiday abroad this year? A little reminder to keep an eye on your vitamin D

Vitamin D has been a hot topic of research for many years now, and our understanding of how the ‘sunshine vitamin’ supports health has expanded rapidly. We now know that vitamin D is important for so much more than bone health, and that achieving and maintaining optimal levels is about more than preventing rickets.

Vitamin D – Widespread effects throughout the body
Vitamin D receptors have been identified in almost every tissue type in the human body, demonstrating just how important this key nutrient is for almost every bodily system. Research has identified vital roles for vitamin D in musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and brain health, immune function and regulation, cancer risk, insulin function, inflammatory problems, autoimmune disease risk and more.

Vitamin D & COVID-19
Over the last year, interest in vitamin D has been heightened due to its crucial role in immune health. Researchers have continued to investigate links between vitamin D status and severity of disease in COVID-19 and as a result many doctors and health researchers have recommended that vitamin D daily dosing should be set at higher levels. We’ve been keeping a close eye on the research and you can read more about vitamin D and COVID-19 here.

UK summer staycations
Vitamin D is unlike most other essential nutrients in that our major source isn’t food but actually sunshine. Our skin makes vitamin D when it comes into contact with the sun’s UVB rays and it is estimated that our bare skin can make up to 10,000 IU vitamin D in response to 20 – 30 minutes’ sun exposure. Since most people are opting for a UK summer staycation this year, and the weather here is a bit less predictable than Greece or Spain (!) it’s important to spare a thought for your vitamin D.

Pay attention to your Vitamin D supplements all year round
Many people start to think about vitamin D when the days shorten and the weather gets a bit cooler, but it’s important to keep an eye on your vitamin D levels all year round, even during the summer. And especially this year with most people opting to holiday in the UK, since there may be less opportunity for an extra boost of the ‘sunshine vitamin’ here, compared to a couple of weeks lying on a Mediterranean beach! The best starting point is to get your vitamin D levels checked, either through your GP or a simple finger-prick test that you can easily order online. Once you know your level, this will guide the optimal daily dose for you; whether you’re running a bit low and need an extra boost or whether a daily maintenance dose is right for you. So this article is simply a little reminder to pay attention to your vitamin D levels now, so you can feel more confident that you’re entering Autumn and Winter in a more ‘optimal’ range.

Read more on supplementing vitamin D here.

Health Professional Resource
Read more about our vitamin D range here.