Vitamin D - Should you be taking it?

You may have heard the latest announcment in the news that the public are advised to take Vitamin D throughout the Autumn and Winter months, particularly if we have a less sunny summer.
Vitamin D has a limited presence in food, and there are individuals who are at higher risk of deficiency due to diet and lifestyle effects:

• Little exposure to natural light through a sedentary lifestyle eg. shiftworkers, nuns, city dwellers with smog, computer addicts, osteoporotics.
• Fussy eaters; little or no fish, eggs or cereals (coeliacs are vulnerable therefore).
• Sun-Sensitive individuals who wear high factor sunscreen.
• Black and Asian people should consider a supplement.
• Over 65s.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Sensitive Gut such as coeliac, crohns, IBS.
• Overweight individuals are more likely to have Vitamin D Deficiency as their fat cells act as a 'plug' preventing it's use.
• Too sun tanned, body stops producing Vitamin D with high sun tan.

Most of our Vitamin D is introduced to our bodies through sunlight on our skin. Defiency can produce many symptoms; Feeling SAD,  Unexplained achey bones, brittle bones, heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic pain.
So, I strongly suggest you consider whether your diet and lifestyle provides enough exposure, afterall prevention is better than cure.
Contact: Consultant Nutritionist, Victoria Shorland 07789512825 for more information.