Why vitamin D?

VDr Peter Mcquillan, co-founder of award-winning vitamin supplement company, Novomins, shares his insight to the importance of getting enough vitamin D,

especially at this time of year itamin D is synthesised by our skin after exposure to sunlight, hence its nickname, the “sunshine vitamin.” A lack of vitamin D can lead to suppressed immunity, achy muscles and bones, and even low mood and depression, to name but a few symptoms.

With 47% of Irish adults de cient in vitamin D, it’s clear we need more of it. However, there are two issues I see here: too much sun exposure and the damage and risk that comes with that, and that as a population, we don’t get enough sunlight to keep our levels topped up anyway. The good news is you can obtain it from foods, but in autumn and winter months a supplement is highly recommended.

A recent randomised clinical trial found that our vitamin D3 gummies had greater absorption than tablets of a higher strength, even in the follow-on study conducted afterwards. This is because when chewed, the gummies release their vitamin D, which is absorbed directly into our blood via the highly vascularised linings of our mouths (this process is called buccal absorption). Further, because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it is absorbed directly into our circulatory system (where it becomes e ective), bypassing the stomach route and avoids the liver, where a percentage of vitamins and minerals are processed into waste products before they reach the rest of our bodies,” says Peter. See novomins.com to nd out more about vitamin D3 gummies