Could a lack of Vitamin D be making you sick? - Daily Mirror

Until recently, most of us didn’t give vitamin D much thought. Doctors knew that a daily dose of the nutrient was vital for good bone health, but it certainly wasn’t seen as a wonder vitamin that could help fight off a host of serious health conditions.

However, in the last few years, numerous studies have linked a deficiency of vitamin D, which can be symptomless and therefore hard to spot, to just about every disease from heart disease and cancer to MS and depression. And to make matters worse, research shows that half of us in the UK have worryingly low levels.

Because vitamin D is mainly made by the action of sunlight on our skin, experts are blaming this nationwide deficiency on the fact we’ve become too cautious in the sun in our bid to avoid skin cancer.

Last year, actress Gwyneth Paltrow admitted she’d fallen into this trap.

“My doctors tested my vitamin D levels, which turned out to be the lowest thing they had ever seen,” she said.

She was warned that her bones were dangerously weak, prescribed vitamin D supplements and told to “spend time in the sun”.

But it’s not just adults who are at risk â€" 10 days ago, young couple Rohan Wray and Chana Al-Alas from London were finally cleared of killing their four-month-old baby through excessive shaking after a postmortem revealed the cause of his fractures was rickets â€" a bone-weakening disease caused by vitamin D deficiency.

Rickets was common among children in Victorian times. Good nutrition and better healthcare meant it had virtually been eradicated â€" but now rates appear to be rising again.

Cleared: Rohan Wray and Chana Al-Alas

PA

Why do we need vitamin D?

This vital nutrient is required to keep our bones and teeth strong and healthy. Vitamin D absorbs calcium from the digestion system and deposits it in our bones, protecting children against rickets and adults against the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.

However, the recent interest in the vitamin is down to the role it also seems to play in boosting the immune system. One study of 13,000 people actually found that those who don’t get enough vitamin D were at greater risk of dying from all causes.

Unlike most other nutrients, we don’t get the bulk of this vitamin from our diet. The major source of vitamin D is the sunlight on our skin, and the theory has always been that our body makes plenty during the summer when it’s sunny and stores enough to last us through the grey winter months.

However, in recent times, experts have warned us to cover up in the sun, apply high-factor sun cream and stay in the shade in a bid to prevent rising cases of skin cancer.

“One of the downsides of this otherwise good advice is that it may be partly to blame for why so many of us have such low levels of vitamin D,” says nutritionist Alex Thompson.

“Even if you do maintain a good amount of sun exposure in the summer months, it’s still questionable whether you’ll make enough vitamin D to last you through the long winter.”

So how much is enough?

One of the dilemmas with vitamin D is that we’re not really sure how much is enough to maintain good health. In the UK, recommended amounts don’t even exist for most people â€" although experts do suggest that pregnant and breast-feeding women and the elderly should take an extra dose of 10mcg per day in the form of a supplement.

“There’s much debate on this at the moment, but most experts agree we do need a RDA for normal healthy adults,” says Alex. “And there are some ethnic groups who require extra vitamin D.

“I speak to a lot of people with Asian or black skin, which requires more sunlight to make adequate levels of vitamin D, so they can be at higher risk of deficiency, as can Muslim women who have to keep their face and body covered.”

Do children need more?

It’s recommended that children under five get between seven and eight-and-a-half micrograms of vitamin D per day.

Yet, according to a study this year, a quarter of all toddlers in the UK are lacking vitamin D and could face weakened bones and walking delays as a result.

Dr Benjamin Jacobs, consultant paediatrician at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, described the juvenile vitamin deficiency issue as a “major problem”.

Last month, in response, the Government’s Chief Medical Officer announced that all children from six months to five years should take supplements containing vitamin D to maintain adequate levels of the vitamin during this critical period of development and ward off problems such as rickets.

Food versus supplements

Broccoli boost: Your diet is a great way of maximising your intake

Getty

 

Although we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight, it’s also a good idea to try to maximize your intake through diet.

But unfortunately, there aren’t many foods naturally rich in it, apart from oily fish such as salmon and sardines.

And while it’s recommended we all eat at least one portion of oil-rich fish per week, a survey last year revealed that four out of ten people in the UK never cook any type of fish.

“The truth is, unless you’re getting plenty of sun and eating oily fish on a weekly basis, you’re probably not getting enough vitamin D and would benefit from a daily supplement of 10mcg,” says Alex.

“A good one is Holland & Barrett Liquid Vitamin D (£8.99 for 59ml), which you can add to drinks or drop straight on your tongue.”

When it comes to getting enough vitamin D into your kids, specially-formulated children’s vitamins are the best option.

Healthy Start supplements, containing vitamin D, are available free of charge for pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children from low income families as part of the Government’s Healthy Start scheme. Visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk.

At the moment, Asda Pharmacy is also giving away free chewable vitamin D tablets to all children from the age of three to help them get the vitamin D they need. Visit your local Asda Pharmacy to find out more.

And if your kids hate taking tablets, BetterYou DLux400 vitamin spray is a fun new way to ensure they’re getting enough D.

One squirt provides exactly the recommended amount for kids under five, (£6.25 from Boots or www.betteryou.uk.com.)

Stay sun safe AND boost your vitamin D

As of last year, the new message from Cancer Research UK is to be cautious in the sun but don’t avoid being in it completely.

The key is to “never be red at the end of the day” but do aim to get 10 to 15 minutes of midday sun exposure, without wearing sun tan cream, to ensure your body can produce enough vitamin D to stay healthy.

So, as with everything, the key is to avoid excessive sunshine and ensure that you are exposed to the sun’s rays only in moderation.

I had no idea I was dangerously low on Vitamin D

Shocked: Vanessa MacDonald  

Vanessa Macdonald, 31, from North London, was working for a medical publishing firm when a routine health check gave her a major scare…

I’ve always considered myself pretty healthy, as I eat well and exercise.

But I liked the idea of having a full health check with a view to preventing any future problems so I booked in with Randox health clinics.

I knew things wouldn’t be 100% perfect, but I was still shocked to discover that my vitamin D levels were virtually non-existent and I was dangerously deficient.

I had read that there was a problem with vitamin D deficiency in the UK, given the lack of sunlight, but I certainly didn’t think I would be affected as I grew up in Australia.

I guess all the skin protection warnings both in Australia and the UK have meant I tend to avoid the sun as much as possible because I don’t want to risk skin cancer.

On seeing my results my GP put me on a high dose of vitamin D supplements straight away, saying that if I didn’t improve my levels quickly I could be at risk of developing an autoimmune disorder or brittle bones.

She explained that often a vitamin D deficiency shows no symptoms but if it was left long enough and combined with a poor calcium intake, I could go on to develop osteoporosis as I get older.

This has made me realise how important it is to look after my bones now to protect my future health. I plan to keep taking supplements and have regular blood tests and a bone scan in the future to keep an eye on my vitamin D levels.

Natural Vitamin D boosters

● Cod liver oil, 1bsp (11g) contains 23mcg

● Salmon steak, steamed (100g) contains 8.7mcg

● Sardines, tinned in tomato sauce (100g) contains 8.0mcg

● Mackerel, 1 small, grilled (75g) contains 6.6mcg

● Tinned tuna in brine (100g) contains 3.6mcg

● Eggs, 1 medium (61g) contains 1.1mcg

● Margarine, soft, polyunsaturated (10g) contains 0.8mcg

● Fortified breakfast cereal (30g) contains 0.6-2.5mcg

● Beef rump steak, grilled (100g) contains 0.4mcg

More information

● visit www.randoxhealthchecks.com/uk