What parents should know about vitamin D

Improving the health of their family is a never-ending quest for any parent; and I know from personal conversations with concerned mothers and puzzled fathers that it can be a challenge. With different brands telling you different pieces of advice, alongside misinformation appearing on social media and your google search box, it can be a minefield. Fortunately, I am here to help - and today on the topic of Vitamin D.

1. Deficiency is more common in winter and spring. Academic research demonstrates 80% of vitamin D is produced through exposure to sunlight - so during the darker months it can be difficult to attain adequate amounts.
2. Healthcare professionals specify for children 6-12: "it is necessary to supplement". As featured in Annuals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism, supplementation is advised for children 6-12 during the winter and spring months.
3. A telltale deficiency sign is easily broken bones. With vitamin D required for calcification - the deposition of calcium within the skeletal system - it’s easy to understand why deficiency equates to frequently broken bones.
4. Another deficiency sign includes asthma and allergies. A lesser known symptom that your child may lack the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, recent studies show vitamin D is an ‘immunomodulator’. Modifying the response of the immune cells, this causes excessive release of (natural immune cell) histamine and over-reactions by the immune system. As a result, children can experience wheezing, coughing, itchy eyes, a runny nose and a scratchy throat.
5. Insufficiency affects almost 50% of the population - according to Journal of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics. Researchers attribute this to less time spent outdoors and air pollution reducing the amount of ultraviolet-B light penetrating the skin.

What’s the solution?

1. Attain as much sunlight as possible! This is what weekends are made for! Rug the kids (and yourselves) up and go exploring into the wilderness. Venture into the great outdoors for eye-spy filled walks, bird watching and identifying local flowers. Kids are malleable: if you’re making a game out of it, so will they.

2. As mentioned above, researchers state it’s ‘necessary’ to supplement with vitamin D during winter and spring. Because of this, I recommend Medlab Nanocelle D3. Not all vitamins are created the same: this formulation uses nanoparticles to maximise absorption – a spray inside the cheek means a 95% rate of absorption! With a lovely peppermint flavour too, it’s something the whole family can enjoy - kids included.

Written By Olivia Arezzolo