A Beginner’s Guide to Vitamin D
Did you know that 13-16% of adults in the UK are deficient in vitamin D?
Learn more about this crucial nutrient and how it impacts your health
What is Vitamin D?
Known as the “sunshine vitamin” vitamin D plays a crucial role in various aspects of our health and well-being. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin meaning that it dissolves in fat, and gets stored in our body’s fatty tissues and liver for later use. This means that we have a reserve of vitamin D to fall back on when our dietary intake or sunlight exposure is low.
Sarah’s Tip - Have fat with meals that contain vitamin D or when you take a supplement to help support absorption.
Why is Vitamin D Important?
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Vitamin D regulates calcium and phosphorus absorption, which is critical for maintaining strong and healthy bones. A deficiency in vitamin D increases your risk of osteoporosis.
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Vitamin D is involved in modulating immune responses and has been linked to a reduced risk of infections, inflammatory conditions and autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune hypothyroidism.
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Emerging research suggests that vitamin D may play a role in mood regulation and mental well-being. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with an increased risk of depression and other mood disorders.
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Adequate vitamin D levels have been linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, heart attack, and stroke.
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Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis.
How much Vitamin D do we need?
Adults need 10mcg of vitamin D per day, you’ll also see that written down as 400 IU.
How do we get enough Vitamin D?
We get a majority of our vitamin D from sunlight exposure, with the rest coming from food and supplements.
UVB radiation from the sun triggers a reaction in the skin that converts a compound called 7-dehydrocholesterol into vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). This is then transported to the liver and kidneys where it is converted into its active form, called calcitriol. In the UK we don’t tend to get enough sunlight from October to March, so supplementation during these months is recommended.
Some food sources also contain vitamin D, such as Salmon which contains 7.3 mcg per 100g, Mackerel which contains 8.5mcg and poached eggs which contain 2.9mcg per 100g. Fortified foods such as milks and yogurts also contain Vitamin D in various amounts.
What can reduce your Vitamin D levels?
Staying inside, having darker skin, aging, low magnesium levels and using sun cream can all reduce our UVB exposure and reduce our vitamin D levels.
Can testing Vitamin D Levels help?
Yes! Vitamin D deficiency remains prevalent in the UK, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey published in 2020 demonstrated that 13-16% of adults were deficient in vitamin D. Everyone is different, we all eat different foods, we all have different genetics, we go outside different amounts and we all have different skin pigmentation.
Testing can help us understand our individuality, avoid deficiency and help guide whether we need supplementation.
The Nourishing Essentials Review includes a vitamin D test as well as the testing of other vital nutrients such as vitamin B12, iron and omega-3 fatty acids, alongside your diet and lifestyle analysis.
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