Levels of vitamin D plunge when the nights draw in. GP Ann Robinson explains how to tell if you have a problem – and which foods will give you a boost
Britain in winter is not a sunny place. And our levels of vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” produced by the action of light on skin, tend to run low. The government is now recommending that we all take a daily supplement throughout the winter. But do we really need it? What about eating more oily fish? Would a lightbox help? And who needs it most?
Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, teeth and muscle. Around one in five adults and up to up to one in four children have low levels throughout the year. Severe deficiency is much rarer, but can result in rickets in kids and osteomalacia in kids and adults, which cause bone deformity and pain. Vitamin D also plays an important role in the immune system. Low levels have been linked to cancers, multiple sclerosis and heart disease. A recent report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) said there isn’t enough evidence yet to draw any firm conclusions about these links.
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