HEALTH: The A to Z of Vitamin D with Fultium Daily D3

Monday 16 October 2017

HEALTH: The A to Z of Vitamin D with Fultium Daily D3

Vitamin D has had a lot of press recently, especially focused on whether or not people living in the United Kingdom can get enough from natural sources. The 'British weather' isn't exactly known for being all sunshine, so can we really get all the vitamin D we need from the sun? New research has shown that nearly half of people (47%) who don't purchase multivitamins say natural source can provide all the vitamin D they need. However, the experts say that it is almost impossible for many people living in the United Kingdom. It is a potentially confusing area of health, but it is so important to know the facts in order to reduce the risk of health conditions like rickets.

Dr Sarah Jarvis, who has hadover 30 years' experience in the NHS and over 26 years as a GP, has shared her A to Z of vitamin D with the aim to helping people's understanding of the vitamin.

A - Absorption. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the body, which supports bone production, strength and repair.

B - Bone health. A persistently low level of vitamin D predisposes some people to bone fractures.

C - Colour of your skin. Pale skins make vitamin D more quickly than darker skins, which is related to the amount of melanin in your skin.

D - Dose. New guidelines at that everyone over a year old sould get 10mcg vitamin D a day.

E - Exposure to sunlight. It's the most natural way to get vitamin D is to expose your bare skin to sunlight, however you have to be careful about too much exposure and burning.

F - Food. You can get small amounts of vitamin D from foods like oily fish, red meat, egg yolks, fortified drinks/cereals and milk. But you'd need to eat very large portions in order to get your daily vitamin D from your diet alone, such as 6 boiled eggs or 10+ tins of tuna!

G - GP diagnosis. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency can have no symptoms, though generally muscle aches and low mood have been reported. You would have a blood test in order for a doctor to make a diagnosis.

H - High-rise buildings. Tall buildings affect the amount of sunlight people are exposed to.

I - Immunity. According to recent news, a growing amount of evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a key role in the immune system.

K - Knowledge. Only slightly more than a third of people overall are aware of vitamin D advice.

L - Lack of outdoor space. This is linked to H, but as people are generally spending less time outside it reduces the amount of vitamin D absorbs naturally from the sunlight.

M - Medical conditions related to vitamin D deficiency. Depression, breast and colorectal cancer have all been linked to low levels of vitamin D.

N - Normal levels of vitamin D. A serum 25 (OH) D level above 50 nmol/L is considered sufficient.

O - Office workers. Typically exposed to very little natural sunlight and this may contribute to insufficient levels of vitamin D.

P - Pollution. Polluted air soaks up UVB or reflects it back into space. This means that if you live somewhere where there is lots of pollution your skin makes less vitamin D.

Q - Quality. Pharmaceutical grade vitamin D supplements are available in pharmacies, just ask a pharmacy team.

R - Rickets caused by a lack of vitamin D. Rickets in children (when the bones become soft and deformed) was common in the past and whilst cases have mostly disappeared, in recent years they've been back on the rise again.

S - Sunscreen. Carefully and correctly applied sunscreen blocks a lot of vitamin D production.

T - Tablet vs. oil vitamin D supplements. Fultium Daily D3* is one of the few vitamin D tablet supplements specially formulated in a high-quality oil, which (unlike dry powdered tablets) is easily and effectively absorbed by the body.

U - UVB. It is only ultraviolet B rays which are responsible for synthesising vitamin D in the body.

V - Vitamin D supplements. There are a variety of vitamin D supplements available online and in health stores. Your pharmacist can advise you on which are made to the same high standard as prescribed versions.

W - Weakened immune system. Research says that vitamin D deficiency weakens the immune system leading to other health issues.

X - X-ray. Wrist x-rays are sometimes required to investigate suspected rickets in children with low levels of vitamin D.

Y - You. Only you can control the amount of vitamin D you're getting.

Z - Zzzz. Lack of vitamin D is associated with sleep problems, particularly with daytime sleepiness.

There you have it...the A to Z of vitamin D! I have been taking the Fultium Daily D3 Drops (£7.99) to help boost my vitamin D because even in the height of summer I'm a sun dodger. I'm really pale and therefore shelter in the shade, covered up as much as possible. This obviously makes the chances of me absorbing any vitamin D very slim, so I need to take a supplement to reach a sufficient amount. The drops are really easy to quickly take, especially as I really struggle take tablets of any kind. As a vegetarian I have to make sure I check which supplements I can take, but luckily the Fultium Daily D3 Drops are suitable for vegetarians. It is reassuring to know that I am consuming all of the vitamin D I need each day, hopefully setting me up for a long life with healthy bones!