Raising Awareness - The Importance of Vitamin D

National Vitamin D Awareness week – a campaign to banish the ‘buts’

The second annual National Vitamin D Awareness Week starts on the 21^st October, the last week of British Summer Time.

The campaign aims to spark a national debate and get the nation talking about how much vitamin D we really get from the sun and our diet, and the steps at risk groups should take to avoid deficiency.

Andrew Thomas, founder and managing director of awareness week supporters BetterYou, said: “Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most important lifestyle problems facing us today; people need access to the right information in order to take action. 

“There are so many misconceptions surrounding vitamin D. ‘But I eat well,’ ‘but I have just been on holiday’, ‘but I am often outdoors’, ‘but I wasn’t told I needed vitamin D’ and so on. This campaign seeks to change those attitudes through high impact visuals and honest debate, setting a new agenda for how we think about vitamin D in this country.”

So what is Vitamin D and why do I need it?

Vitamin D, often referred to as the sunshine vitamin is essential for healthy teeth and bones and an efficient immune system. Our bodies naturally produce vitamin D by synthesizing ultraviolet light from sunlight. However, people not sufficiently exposed to the sun may not synthesise sufficient vitamin D to meet physiological requirements. And as the dark nights draw in and we catch fewer glimpses of the sun, the chances of our developing a deficiency increases. In fact, some researchers suggest that one reason that we are more prone to colds, flu and infection in winter is due to reduced vitamin D production as a result of darker days.

Think, how much Sun exposure do you receive each day?

Our national state of health with regards Vitamin D is a growing cause for concern. Requiring 2-3 hours of unprotected sun exposure every week to produce the essential levels of Vitamin D. Many of us are not achieving this. The problem is exacerbated by the use of sun screens which further hinders Vitamin D production.

So why are we at risk and who falls into the most vulnerable groups?

Firstly, we live in a northern climate and unfortunately the UK is one of the cloudiest countries in the industrialised world – cloud cover and sun dramatically reduce our ability to produce vitamin D. Air pollution further hinders our ability to produce vitamin D. Polluted air soaks up UVB or reflects it back into space. Secondly, due to the demands of modern life we spend more time indoors – children playing computer games, internet browsing, work pressures lead to a lack of leisure time and thirdly we cover up to protect ourselves from the sun and lather on the sun cream.

Simon Pearce, Professor of Endocrinology at Newcastle University says “Kids tend to stay indoors more these days instead of enjoying fresh air. This means their vitamin D levels are worse than in previous years”

Certain groups of the population have been identified as being more vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency – Pregnant and breastfeeding women, People over the age of 50, Children Under 5, The housebound and those who cover up when they go outside, vegetarians and people who have darker skin

In a recent survey by BetterYou it emerged that 90% of mums were not advised to take vitamin D during pregnancy and many of those questioned did not realise they were an at risk group and recognition of at-risk groups for deficiency was also worryingly low. This only highlights the necessity for a national campaign to raise awareness of the importance of Vitamin D.

Debunking the misconceptions

Together we can help raise awareness of this crucial campaign and banish the buts! This year’s key messages are:

But I have a healthy diet –
You’d still need to drink 80 glasses of milk a day to maintain a healthy level of vitamin D. Banish the buts…only 10% of our essential vitamin D comes from our diet, mainly from oily fish and eggs.

But I’m often outdoors –
The UK is one of the cloudiest countries in the industrialised world.
Banish the buts…cloud cover and low sun dramatically reduce our ability to produce vitamin D.

But I wasn’t told I needed vitamin D –
90% of mums have not been advised about the importance of vitamin D.*
Banish the buts…the Department of Health identify those pregnant and breastfeeding as ‘at risk’ groups requiring supplementation

How to boost your Vitamin D levels

With only 10% of our vitamin D levels coming from food our Vitamin D requirements cannot be met through diet alone. So this leaves us to make up the other 90% through increasing our exposure to sunlight (which is easier to do during the summer months but becomes increasingly difficult as winter sets in) or by supplementation. According to a recent update from the prestigious Harvard Medical School, to ensure an adequate intake of this vital nutrient supplementation is advised. It is important to make sure you are taking a good quality vitamin D supplement in the form of D3 (Cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 is the type of vitamin D your body produces in response to sun exposure.

Your local health store can advise you on the best form of vitamin D to take and how to take it. It is available to buy in the form of tablets, capsules, liquid or an oral (sublingual) spray.

Most people can take vitamin D supplements with no problems. However, care is needed in a few situations. It is always advisable to check with your GP if taking prescribed medication or have a diagnosed medical condition as there are certain situations where Vitamin D supplementation may not be advised or certain conditions may warrant higher doses to be administered.

For more information on Vitamin D and how it may help you please call into Bare Health, Congleton or call us on 01260 408413. We are always happy to help.

 To find out how Bare Health is getting involved with Vitamin D awareness week check out our facebook page ‘Bare Health’ page or follow us on twitter @barehealth1

You can also get involved with the campaign via Facebook (facebook.com/NationalVitaminDAwarenessweek) or Twitter (@NVDAW_UK), share what you are doing and join the debate.