British weather ‘so bad we’re vitamin D deficient’

The essential vitamin – which helps prevent rickets and brittle bones – occurs naturally when sunshine hits the skin, but the inclement UK weather means many people are missing out.

Exposure to sunlight is the main source of vitamin D for most people in the UK, but the report acknowledges that during winter there is insufficient UVB radiation in sunlight to synthesise enough vitamin D via the skin.

Up to now, government advice has been that all pregnant and breastfeeding women should take a daily supplement of vitamin D. That could be widened to the whole population if the draft report by the scientific advisory committee on nutrition (SACN) is accepted.

He told the Independent on Sunday: “Before this, the general assumption was that adults were able to make all the vitamin D they needed from sunshine, and didn’t need to have any dietary or supplementary intake”.

The final version will be published early next year and could be adopted by the Government.

That’s right – the miserable summers with grey skies are actually bad for us as it means we’re lacking in Vitamin D. That’s a major and important change.

To protect musculoskeletal health by topping up vitamin D levels, the experts are recommending 10micrograms of vitamin D per day for all adults and children over a year old, and 8.5-10 micrograms a day for under-ones.

But not to worry if you’re not getting enough, as it can also be found in food sources such as oily fish and dairy products like cheese, milk and yogurt.

Dr Helga Rhein, an Edinburgh GP who runs the organisation, said: “I’m happy that it is now “official” that for all of us living in the UK it is recommended to take vitamin D supplements”.

The report said the new recommended intake should apply throughout the year “as a precautionary measure” to cover those who do not get much Sunday.

Professor Hilary Powers, chair of the SACN vitamin D working group, said: “It is important to remember that this vitamin D report is a draft so the recommendations may change after the consultation period”.