Vitamin D should be taken each day, say scientists

ADVICE for everyone to take daily doses of vitamin D during the autumn and winter is being adopted in Scotland.

Scientists have recommended that everyone over the age of one should consume 10 micrograms of vitamin D, sometimes known as the sunshine vitamin, each day to protect their bones and muscles.

Aileen Campbell, Scotland’s Public Health Minister, announced that the Scottish Government is now using this as their official guidance.

This means people in Scotland should consider taking a vitamin D supplement particularly between September and April, but also during the summer if they spend little time outside.

The new recommendation is based on a report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) which has carried out an extensive review of the evidence on vitamin D.

Professor Hilary Powers, chairwoman of the working group, said the findings represented a “sea change”.

The body makes vitamin D in response to sunshine on the skin and it is also found in some foods. One of its functions is to regulate amounts of calcium and phosphate, vital for healthy bones, muscles and teeth.

Professor Powers said: “The evidence on which we based the judgment includes, for example, risk of falls in older people and also muscle strength and muscle function which are important for mobility and stability in older people.”

Data showed the percentage of people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood is higher in Scotland than in England. This is mainly due to the Scottish climate.