VITAMIN D supplements are mainly pointless and could even be harmful, scientists claimed. They are recommended in autumn and winter to help prevent falls and fractures — as the vitamin maintains bone and muscle strength. New research claims Vitamin D pills are mostly useless and could even be harmful But a new study said there was no evidence to support that — and nothing to suggest it can help prevent other diseases including strokes. Mark Bolland from New Zealand’s University of Auckland said only those with severe vitamin D deficiency will benefit from supplements. Prof Bolland, who conducted the study with colleagues from the University of Aberdeen, said: “Otherwise we conclude current evidence does not support the use of vitamin D supplementation to prevent disease.” Taking supplements in the winter months has become standard practice, but experts have now suggested this might not be a good idea 'I FEAR I WON'T WAKE UP' 'NO ONE HAS HIT MY SON'
THE SUDDEN DEATH GENE HAIR DYE HEALTH SCARE PUTTING THE MYTHS TO BED Prof Tim Spector, of King’s College London, argued: “We have a strange love affair with vitamin supplements that makes the recent UK government message that everyone should take vitamin D in winter an easy sell.” He also said people who took too much “had an unexpected increased risk of falls and fractures” in trials. There was also internal damage to soft tissues and kidneys, he said. However Public Health England’s head of nutrition science, Louis Levy, said its advice was backed by musculoskeletal experts. He insisted: “For many, a supplement will be necessary.” This is why it's important for mums-to-be to get lots of Vitamin D during pregnancy(Picture: Getty Images / Metro.co.uk) We all know we’re supposed to be getting more vitamin D. We’re reminded every time we see our pasty, sun-deprived skin. Each time we talk to our nan about eating plenty of oily fish.
Every time we’re tired, and think to ourselves: ‘yup. Probably just low in vitamin D’. We know it’s important. But sometimes, just the promise of ‘good health’ isn’t enough to make us do what we need to. So here’s another reason to get in your vitamin D, sharpish: A new study suggests that taking vitamin D pills could save us from colds and flu. The study, published in The British Medical Journal, suggests that taking vitamin D supplements may have more benefits than we previously thought. While we already knew vitamin D is important for bone and muscle health, the researchers now reckon that pills can protect against acute respiratory infections – meaning colds, flu, and pneumonia. Benefits of vitamin D: Vital for absorbing calcium and phosphorus Can reduce risk of diseases such as heart disease and multiple sclerosis Can improve immune system function Has been shown to fight depression Experts are now suggesting that alongside eating vitamin D rich food, it’s worth fortifying the benefits with a vitamin D supplement.
The study pooled data from 11,321 people from 25 separate trials, to figure out if vitamin D supplements can prevent respiratory tract infections, ranging from a cold to pneumonia. The team found that one person would avoid infection out of every 33 taking vitamin D supplements. Which might not sound spectacular, but it’s actually more effective than the flu vaccination. One of the researchers, Professor Adrian Martineau, said: ‘Assuming a UK population of 65 million, and that 70% have at least one acute respiratory infection each year, then daily or weekly vitamin D supplements will mean 3.25 million fewer people would get at least one acute respiratory infection a year.’ That’s a worthwhile result for just popping a daily vitamin D pill, we think. While Public Health England says that the data is not conclusive, they do recommend taking supplements in autumn and winter, or year-round for anyone who doesn’t get much exposure to sunlight. We previously spoke to GoNutrition nutrition expert Ciaran Hegarty to find out how to get more vitamin D, and he recommended that even if you are making your diet more vitamin D packed, it’s still worth taking a supplement to get the full range of benefits.
‘Vitamin D, also known as ‘the sunshine vitamin’, is an essential vitamin which is required by the body for healthy function,’ Ciaran told metro.co.uk. ‘Some vitamin D is obtained through the diet from oily fish and eggs, however the majority is synthesised by the body through exposure to sunlight. ‘In countries such as the UK where exposure to sunlight is limited, particularly in the winter months, a vitamin D supplement is recommended.’ Foods rich in vitamin D: Almond, soya, and hazelnut milkVitamin D is very good for bone health, immune system function, and the prevention of disease such as heart disease. It also might prevent you from getting a cold or developing the flu. Make sure your diet is vitamin D rich, but definitely consider taking supplements if you live in an area that doesn’t get much sun (like the UK). It’ll do you good. MORE: How to get more vitamin D in your diet MORE: Here’s how to tell if you’re Vitamin D deficient
MORE: Here’s what you need to know about vitamin DSkip to main content 12 Ways to Get Your Daily Vitamin DeBooks from Mommypotamus The Busy Mama’s Guide to Getting Dinner On The TableSubscribe to my newsletter and receive this FREE GUIDE along with exclusive coupons, links to recommended products, and much more! I'm Heather, aka The Mommypotamus. I’m a wife, mom, real food lover, research geek, and amateur homesteader. Don’t miss these popular posts Why I Ditched Meal Plans For Real PlansSafe Essential Oils For Babies And ChildrenMTHFR Gene Mutations: A Beginner’s GuideHow To Really Increase Happiness In 5 Minutes A Day15 Ways To Be Kind To Your AdrenalsIn the world of nutrition, supplements live in murky territory. While we want to make sure we’re getting all of the vitamins, and minerals we need, research from Harvard Medical School shows that these nutrients are more powerful when they come from real foods as opposed to pills. There's one vitamin in particular, though, that's pretty hard to get on your own, unless you live in a tropical locale: vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin.
Here's why vitamin D is so important—and what you need to know about supplementing. The Benefits of Vitamin D One of the biggest roles vitamin D plays in your body is helping your bones grow, says Shanna Levine, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “It has also been found to play a role in cell growth, reduction of inflammation, and neuromuscular function,” she says. But that’s not where the benefits end, says Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D., author of The Vitamin D Solution. Research has linked sufficient vitamin D levels to everything from increased fertility and a reduced risk of breast cancer to fewer respiratory infections and even reduced severity in diseases like MS, he says. RELATED: Why You Need to Stay Far, Far Away from 'Natural' Supplements How to Tell if You Might Be D-Deficient Before you pop a supplement, you first would want to know if you even need one, right? Well, between 30 and 60 percent of the U.S. population could be deficient in vitamin D, says Levine.
In particular, many people living in northern climates suffer from low levels of the vitamin, adds Donald Levy, M.D., medical director of the Osher Clinical Center for Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Your body creates vitamin D when exposed to UVB rays from the sun—but if you live north of Atlanta, due to the way the sun is positioned, that only happens between April and October, says Holick. Certain people are more susceptible to deficiencies, too. If you have dark skin, your body doesn't synthesize as much of the vitamin, putting you at risk for low levels, says Levine. Obese people can also be two or three times more likely to suffer from deficiencies, as vitamin D is fat soluble, says Holick. Pregnant women are at high risk as well. Babies put increased demands on your body, so you may need to consume more of the vitamin to ensure you're getting enough. But you won’t really know that you're deficient unless you get tested—and vitamin D screenings aren’t exactly standard.
That said, if you think your levels are lagging (being super drained and experiencing aches and pains are both signs you could be in need of D), it’s reasonable to consider the blood test. (Just go in the winter, when your levels are most likely to be low, says Levine.) If you are indeed deficient, your doc may prescribe 1,000 to 2,000 International Units (IUs) a day or more, depending on your levels, she says. RELATED: Are Fish Oil Supplements Really Worth Taking? So, Should You Actually Take a Supplement? In the scientific community, whether or not we all need a daily supplement of D is a controversial question that depends on a lot of different factors. Research supports both sides—as do experts. Holick says, “absolutely, positively yes,” we all should all supplement. The National Institutes of Health recommends the average person get 600 IUs a day. But if you’re a big seafood fan, get plenty of sunshine, and don’t have any symptoms, it’s likely not necessary, says Levine.