Vitamin D Deficiency
We have known for a very long time that being deficient in Vitamin D affects the bodies ability to absorb calcium, which can lead to the disease Ricketts. Vitamin D also plays an important role in the functioning of our immune system.
The NHS website, (link below) recommends everyone should supplement with vitamin D during the winter and many groups who may not be getting enough sunlight, even in summer should supplement all year round. The recommendation is 10µg (micrograms) a day. This article is well worth reading to encourage your loved ones to ensure they have enough.
Interestingly, this NHS advice predates the British Medical Journal article (link below) about the seriousness of Covid19 infection outcomes. The groups they highlight as possibly deficient in vitamin D are worryingly similar to the groups who seem to have the worst outcomes if they get Covid19.
Vitamin D foods
Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D. The flesh of fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources. Small amounts of vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.
Mushrooms, but only if grown in the sun, when grown in the dark for supermarkets they do not absorb any sunlight and therefore do not have any of the precursors of Vit D.
The best source of Vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. The darker the skin, the more protection people have and therefore need to spend longer in the sun to get the activated version, D3 (cholecalciferol) which goes to the liver, changes slightly, then onto the kidneys, where we get Vitamin D (calcitriol) which our bodies can use.
These are not my words .....
"Vegetables, as a rule, are a lousy vitamin d source. The best vitamin d comes from your skin when it's exposed to sunlight. The best source of dietary vitamin d is cold water fish.
Whether vegetable-derived vitamin d (d2) does the same thing as that which comes from animal sources, or the skin (d3) is still a matter of dispute. Many vitamin d experts think that it does not".
Many people do not like fish so supplementation is advised.
Public Health England recommends vitamin D supplements in autumn and winter. On the basis of the advisory committee’s findings, Public Health England recommended that all children over age 1 and UK adults of any age should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D in autumn and winter when sunlight is limited.
If you are worried you are not getting enough Vitamin D, several Forever Living supplements contain it.
They contain D3, cholecalciferol which goes to the liver, changes a little, then onto the kidneys where it becomes the Vitamin D we can utilise.
Forever Immublend contains 400IU (International Unit) which is 10 micrograms.
Forever Daily (2 tablets) 5µg
Forever Calcium (4 tablets) 5µg
Forever Kids depending on age (4 tablets) = 5µg (children will need less)
As it says on the website, there is NO evidence that it can prevent you from catching the virus, so it's important to continue handwashing and social distancing, but the evidence in the BMJ outcome is compelling, that having enough vitamin D in your system, can have a major impact on how serious the impact is if you do catch it.
Here’s the link to the NHS website article on Vitamin D
Salmon - A great source of Vitamin D