Vitamin D works to control calcium and phosphate levels within the body, with these vital nutrients keeping bones, teeth and muscles at their best
Vitamins can help our body get all of the nutrition it needs(Image: shared content unit)
Everyone in the UK is being urged to start taking a daily supplement costing roughly 4p per tablet. Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate concentrations in the body, with these essential nutrients maintaining optimal bone, tooth and muscle health.
A lack of vitamin D can cause bone deformities such as rickets in youngsters, while adults may experience bone pain from osteomalacia, commonly referred to as “soft bones”. From late March or early April until the end of September, most individuals can obtain adequate vitamin D through sunlight exposure alone.
However, due to reduced daylight during autumn and winter periods, Government advisers suggest everyone should consider taking a daily Vitamin D tablet from this Wednesday, the first day of October, reports the Mirror. This recommendation stays in effect until March.
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Those facing elevated deficiency risks, including youngsters aged one to four, plus infants who are breastfed or consume under 500ml of formula daily, require year-round supplementation, the NHS states. Children from one year onwards and adults need 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D each day.
This encompasses expectant and nursing mothers, along with anyone facing heightened deficiency risks. Besides sunshine, Vitamin D can be obtained from a limited selection of foods such as oily fish, red meat, egg yolks and fortified breakfast cereals.
Yet NHS guidance explains: “Since it’s difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.” The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that breastfed infants, or those consuming fewer than 500ml (approximately a pint) of formula milk per day, should receive a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year.
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