Vitamin D

A high proportion of people living in the UK don’t get enough vitamin D. You may be one of these people, but not be aware of it. It is a problem because it can affect your energy levels and wellbeing now, and make a great difference to your health in the future. Because such a high number of people are affected, our vitamin D levels could cause problems for our society, NHS and businesses. Luckily, it is a simple problem to fix, if we all come together.

What are you doing about vitamin D?

We are doing two things:

We are working with partners to measure and increase vitamin D levels for the people who are important to them. Businesses can help their employees improve their health; doctors can give simple information to their patients that will keep them well; and communities can educate people to avoid a future strain on services. We will share everything we find out. If you would like to be one of these partners or learn more, please get in touch.

We are launching a national awareness campaign. We want everyone to understand what vitamin D is, why it is important and how you can get more of it. There are opportunities for media, brand and product development partners, so let us know if you want to get your name behind vitamin D!

What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D is often called the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, because our body makes it when we spend time in the sun. Until recently, scientists thought that it was used by our body to grow healthy bones and teeth. It is, but it is not the only reason our body needs vitamin D, and plenty of it.

Can it stop me from getting cancer?
We believe it can make a big difference. A recent study showed that women with sufficient levels of vitamin D were 77% less likely to develop breast cancer. Not getting enough vitamin D has also been linked to MS, diabetes, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and a range of other cancers and diseases.

How do I get more vitamin D?
There are a few simple things you can do:
• Be sure to get more sunshine. Don’t burn, but do spend time outdoors when your skin is touched by the sun.
• Eat more oily fish, such a salmon and mackerel, and up the number of mushrooms you eat.
• Take a daily supplement. Current recommended daily allowances in the UK do not reflect the new understanding we have that vitamin D is needed by a number of organs, as well as to keep our teeth and bones healthy. So, we recommend that you get 2,000 IU everyday.