Here comes summer, but is it enough for our vitamin D levels?

With the summer we have had in the UK so far this year, you could be forgiving for thinking that it hasn’t been summer at all. Colder weather, plenty of rain and a lack of sunshine is not what we expect at this time of year.

We often head into the summer with intentions of healthy salads, plenty of fresh foods and lighter meals, it is not always what we crave when the weather is not so great. If you are struggling to eat the fresh and vibrant salads you promised yourself you would, try roasting vegetables in good quality oils, adding garlic and herbs. Maybe whizz up a soup full of vegetables, the joy of making soup is that it can be economical, easy to make a batch for a few days it to freeze and also, the nutrients from the vegetables stay in and are not drained away, just cook on a gentle heats so as not to destroy all sensitive vitamins.

We often hear about taking a vitamin D supplement in the autumn and winter due to the lack of sunlight we are exposed to resulting in a reduction in the amount of vitamin D we manufacture. This year, it is now being considered that perhaps we should look at taking a supplement during the summer months too as we are not getting the exposure of sunlight on the skin that we need.

The body manufacturers its own vitamin D from sunshine, this could be proving difficult with the lack of sunshine this summer.

The body manufactures vitamin D from a reaction with sunlight on the skin, hence being known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. In the northern hemisphere, it can be hard for us to get enough exposure to sunlight to manufacture enough vitamin D. Therefore, there are recommendations to take supplements, especially for children, those on restricted diets and anyone who doesn’t get outside a lot of keeps their skin covered.

Vitamin D can be found in a lot of foods, eggs yolks, oily fish, liver, fortified foods, but if you are not eating a reasonable amount of those, you might like to consider a supplement. The great thing about vitamin D is that as a supplement, it is available in a number of formats including capsules and liquid drops making it easier to give to the whole family.

Although we can make vitamin D from sunshine on the skin, you still need to take care and use caution not to get sunburnt.

It is well known that vitamin D is important for bone health, but science is now showing us that it does much more than that.

Vitamin is usually expressed as International Units or IU. 1 microgram, (mcg or µ) of vitamin D equals 40IU. The NHS states that the Department of Health and Social Care recommends that adults and children over 4 take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year if they:

• are not often outdoors – for example, if they’re frail or housebound
• are in an institution like a care home
• usually wear clothes that cover up most of their skin when outdoors
• If you have dark skin – for example you have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background – you may also not make enough vitamin D from sunlight.

Vitamin D also plays a role in the health of the immune system, heart health and has also been shown  by research to help boost mood.

In more recent research, vitamin D, or lack of, has been linked to an increased risk degenerative conditions such as dementia and cardiovascular issues. Other research has looked at bone pain and difficulty climbing the stairs as possible signs of deficiency.

If you are concerned that you may have low levels, you can ask your doctor or pharmacist for a test, some of which can be carried out at home. This will give you a good indication of your levels and help you take the right amount to restore a healthy balance.

There has been a vast amount of research on vitamin D covering everything from mood changes to difficulties in pregnancy, so it is often worth getting your levels checked.

The most popular source in a supplement is from fish, but of course if you are vegetarian or vegan, you will want to avoid this. The good news is that vitamin D is now available in a vegan form sourced from sustainably harvested lichen meaning that you don’t have to miss out on taking a supplement.

Vitamin D is easy to take in a supplement form, you can find it in capsules or as a liquid making it easy to add to your supplement regime.

When taking a supplement, look at the source and form of the nutrient. Vitamin D3 is considered the form that is closest to the form we produce in the body, so ensure your supplement provides this format. It can be sourced from fish oil, but if you want a vegetarian version look for one sourced from lanolin, (sheep’s wool) or a vegan form sustainably sourced from lichen.

Vitamin D may have many functions on its own, but it also plays an important role in the utilisation of other nutrients. There are certain supplements that you may be taking that could benefit from adding vitamin D to your regime.

Calcium and phosphorus are bit important for healthy bone growth. Vitamin D helps the body absorb these minerals.

When considering bone health, vitamin K is also important for healthy bones. In supplement form, you will find K2 which breaks down into MK-4 and MK-7. MK-4 is the active form used by the body, MK-7 has been shown to be utilised at low doses. Many supplements with only include MK-4 or MK-7, however taking one that contains both may help the utilisation of the nutrient in the body. Vitamin K2 is often taken alongside vitamin D.

Most people know that vitamin D is important for healthy bones, but science is demonstrating that it plays a role in many other areas too.

Looking at immune health,  nutrients that play a role in in normal immune function include vitamin C and Zinc. These nutrients can be used as part of a regime to support healthy immune function.

If you are building a regime to support psychological wellbeing,  science is suggesting there is a role for vitamin D in brain health and mood function, it can be taken alongside B vitamins and Magnesium, both contributing to normal psychological function, or with Zinc which contributes to normal cognitive function.

As we can see, this vitamin plays an important role in many areas of our health and wellbeing, so if the summer continues the way it is and you are not getting the chance to obtain your vitamin D from the sun, it is worth thinking about add a supplement to your wellness regime.