Throughout the year we need to make sure that we have adequate Vitamin D blood levels. You can do this via your diet, from sunlight in good weather and a vitamin D supplement to help immunity.
Vitamin D plays a big role in our overall health and immunity, but less powerful sunshine from Autumn to early spring and UV blockers such as smog and sunblock cream, can mean your body sees less of it. With less sunny days and less time spent outside, you miss out on some of the Vitamin D your body typically makes when UV hits the skin, which is when a vitamin D supplement to help immunity becomes even more important.
If you haven’t had a Vitamin D blood test to see how low your levels are, some signs of deficiency are:
- Fatigue
- Not sleeping well
- Bone pain or achiness
- Depression or feelings of sadness
- Hair loss
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Poor immunity
- Pale skin
Your degree of risk for Vitamin D deficiency can be based on your:
- Age
People who are older in age are at a higher risk for Vitamin D deficiency because the skin doesn't produce Vitamin D as efficiently and immunity is compromised.
- Weight
People who are obese may have reduced Vitamin D absorption into their bloodstream, increasing their risk of Vitamin D deficiency.
- Immunity History
Conditions such as coeliac disease, kidney /liver disease, Crohn's disease or osteoporosis are associated with low levels of Vitamin D.
- Medications
Some medications can impact how well your body is using and absorbing Vitamin D including those for cholesterol like cholestyramine, antifungal drugs and anti-seizure medications.
- Skin Tone
People with darker skin tones have a lower ability to utilise the sun's rays to produce Vitamin D, putting them at higher risk for Vitamin D deficiency even if they spend lots of time outside.
If you live in the UK you should take a vitamin D supplement to help immunity during October-March. The NHS recommends at least 10 micrograms (400IU) a day. If you have symptoms of deficiency you may want to take more than this
Is City Living Impacting your Vitamin D and your immunity?
Wonder why your Vitamin D levels are low in the summer even though you’re out and about in shorts and t-shirt all summer? If you’re living in a city, it could well be due to pollution levels, even if you can’t see it or smell it!
Multiple studies now show that certain pollutants, mainly from vehicle exhausts, block the sun sufficiently so your skin cannot make its own Vitamin D, reducing your immunity. One large study involved 448,337 UK people residing in cities. Pollution levels where these people lived was analysed side by side. Associations were found between serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood results and particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and nitrogen oxides. All analysed air pollutants were associated with lower serum Vitamin D levels. Also, the effect was more pronounced in females1.
A Vitamin D supplement helps with immunity2. It's always a good idea to know your Vitamin D level so you address the problem and take a well researched supplement such as AltruVita Vitamin D3 1000IU if you need!
1.Yang C, Li D, Tian Y, Wang P. Ambient Air Pollutions Are Associated with Vitamin D Status. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 27;18(13):6887.
- * GB REGISTER OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH CLAIMS