Lets talk Vitamin D, better well known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. Come summer, we are soaking up those rays just by going outside and most of us are meeting our quota. Fast forward to autumn and winter (how is it already September?) the cashmere jumpers and boots are out in full force, and for those of us wrapped up in our woolly jumpers are vitamin D is on the decline with 1 in 5 of the UK population having low levels (including me at the start of the year). Revised guidelines from the British Nutrition Foundation advise from October - March everyone over the age of 5 will need to rely solely on dietary sources of vitamin D.
So what’s the big deal?
A deficiency in vitamin D has the following health impacts :
Aching bones - this may not seem a big deal if like me your in your twenties, but fast forward and a vitamin D deficiency in your older years can lead to osteoporosis (brittle bones) and osteomalacia (bone softening). Reaching vitamin D quota is essential for supporting bones and their structure. When you're low in vitamin D, your bones can weaken thus increasing your risk of stress fractures.
2. Muscle weakness - Vitamin D supports normal muscle function, and deficiency can be linked to muscle pain.
3. Low mood & Depression - Vitamin D is most efficiently absorbed from exposure to sunlight, during the darker months, the depressive symptoms of SAD (Seasonal Affective
Disorder) begin to emerge. Hardly surprising when it's pitch black at 5pm before your commute home. A 2008 study in Norway found that people with low levels of vitamin D were more likely to be depressed and taking vitamin D improved the symptoms.
4. Absorption of calcium - Vitamin D aids the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, a deficiency means these minerals are not being sufficiently absorbed thus side effects
leading to hypocalcemia (lack of calcium in the blood) with symptoms including memory loss, muscle spasms & cramps, numbness & tingling in the hands, feet & face, weak
nails, depression and hallucination. Symptoms of not getting enough phosphorus include delayed growth, spinal pain and muscle weakness.
5. Great risk of Illnesses - studies have shown there is a greater risk of a range of conditions such as type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis and certain cancer due to vitamin D
facilitating normal immune system function and healthy muscles and bones.
How do you know if you have low levels?
Symptoms differ from person to person for any illness but you may have low levels of vitamin D if you have any of the the following;
- Fatigue & tiredness
- Getting sick or infected often (low immune system)
- Bone & back pain
- Muscle pain
- Hair loss
- Depression
Hopefully your all topped up with vitamin D following summer but its good to be aware of the symptoms with winter on the horizon, and limited sunlight (boo!)
Goodbye Summer 18 & endless vitamin D
D-fense for your health
If your looking for optimum nutrition, vitamin D should be at the front of the line in your daily supplementation regimen. If you think you may have low levels of vitamin D, it is very easy to have a blood test (25 (OH)D blood) and find out your levels. A healthy range is over 50 ng/ml, low levels will be between 30-49 ng/ml and deficiency normally falls in the 20 - 30 ng/ml bracket. If you have low levels, doctor will advise you have a spray or two of vitamin D spray or take tablets, this spray is very good and tastes minty fresh, click here.
The foods we eat AFFECT our overall health and whether were prone to illnesses, in the words of Hippocrates, 'let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food'. With autumn approaching if your look to defence your health and keep your vitamin D topped up without a winter sunshine getaway, then try incorporating the following foods in your diet.
- Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines,
- Cod liver oil
- Canned tuna
- Oysters
- Shrimp
- Egg yolk
- Mushrooms
Natural sources of vitamin D are limited, especially if you're a vegetarian or don't like fish. Fortunately, some foods that don't naturally contain vitamin D are fortified with it. Most milks including cows, soy, almond will be fortified with vitamin D as well as orange juice and cereal (check the label before buying). The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is 400 IU of vitamin D per day from foods, but many health organisations recommend getting 600 IU to stay topped up, eating plenty of these foods will help but it is difficult to get from your diet alone but not impossible. Combine eating these foods whilst spending time outside (yes even winter sun!) as this really is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D.
Stay tuned for some healthy weak day meals rich in vitamin D including my favourite autumn warmer mushroom soup & chilli salmon. Subscribe below to be kept up to date and be the first to get the recipes.
L.P. x