Summer has finally come, and we are all enjoying the longer days, warmer temperatures and the glorious sun. Sunlight has a whole host of benefits from boosting mood and reducing stress, to helping maintain our circadian rhythm and improving sleep. Let’s face it, everything feels better with a blue sky! However, most of the health benefits from the sun are thought to be due to its role in the production of vitamin D.
It is well known that vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus and is important in building bones, though it is now thought to be associated with many other factors of our health, with research into its role in the prevention of diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. More recently vitamin D was shown to play a role in the immune system and hence the link to the possible improvement in Covid-19 in recent times. In a very recent study (albeit small) in Spain, over 80% of the patients admitted to hospital for COVID-19 were vitamin D deficient and they had a longer length of stay.
More than 1 billion people worldwide are vitamin D deficient. Factors such as spending more time indoors, having darker skin, and age (the elderly and children between 1-4), put people at greater risk of being deficient in vitamin D.
Ultraviolet
Our body synthesises its vitamin D in the skin using UVB wavelengths.Unfortunately, the UV waves which enable us to synthesise vitamin D are the same as those that produce sunburn and DNA damage, which can result in premature ageing and skin cancer.With almost 16,000 people being diagnosed with melanoma (a type of malignant skin cancer) in the UK each year and 156,000 with non-melanoma skin cancer, it is important that we find the right balance. To reduce premature ageing of the skin and the risk of cancer, it is recommended to apply sun cream, cover up with clothing and a sun hat, and stick to the shade when the sun is at its strongest, between 11 am and 3 pm.
Fortunately, our bodies are very efficient at producing vitamin D with the sun. In fact, during the summer the amount of sun exposure required to produce enough vitamin D ranges from 9 minutes for Caucasians to as little as 25 minutes for people with darker skin. This is assuming that people have their arms and legs exposed, such as when wearing shorts and a t-shirt, without any sun cream on, during the middle of the day.
However, in the UK the winter sun is not strong enough for us to produce enough vitamin D. We can instead acquire vitamin D through our diet and supplements. Good sources of vitamin D include oily fish, red meat and eggs, as well as fortified foods like plant milk and fat spreads. As a rule of thumb, we only make vitamin D when our shadow is shorter than we are – so midsummer here.
Diet
It is difficult to get all of the vitamin D we need through our diet, therefore it is recommended that most people in the UK should take supplements throughout autumn and the winter. When choosing a supplement, be sure to check that it contains D3 (cholecalciferol)- this is the type we synthesise in the skin, and it is the type that is best absorbed by our bodies. Other supplements such as K2 work with D3 to get calcium out of the bloodstream into bones and teeth and magnesium, which is a cofactor in the synthesis of vitamin D into its active form should also be considered. Look for a supplement that contains D3 and K2. Magnesium is probably better absorbed by rubbing into the skin as opposed to taken orally but can be taken in tablet form or included in a D3 supplement.
At Walnut Grove we sell a D3/K2 supplement that is made in the UK and 4000iu of D3 per tablet and includes magnesium. Contact us for more information.
