This vitamin is very much in the news at the moment and, it appears with good reason, as most of us living in the northern hemisphere are sadly lacking in the best source available, the sun!
The optimum level varies as in the UK it’s considered normal if your level is 25mnol/L and above while in the USA it’s 50mnol/L and above. Many experts believe 100nmol/L would better serve our good health as deficiency is implicated in conditions such as osteoporosis, auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular disease and mood disorders. Menopausal women should also consider supplementation to reduce the risk of common post-menopausal degenerative diseases and a recent report suggested a dose of 4,000iu/day would be beneficial.
Testing serum levels is the only way to find out if you are falling short and this can be done via the GP or at any number of private testing laboratories for as little as £20.
To increase levels ensure you are eating enough oily fish, expose your face sensibly to the sun and take a supplement ( I use Biotics). Generally it takes 3-6 months to increase serum levels and a re-test would be advisable to monitor progress after this time.
If you would like further information, or are considering a test, then please do contact us as our nutritionist will be more than happy to help.