During the fall and winter, Britons are encouraged by the NHS to take daily vitamin D supplementation. Yet, the National Diet and Nutrition Survey reveals that one in six adults have low levels of vitamin D in their blood. Could taking supplements all year round be the answer? According to a recent clinical study, there could an extra benefit in doing so. Researchers conducted a three-month clinical trial that presented in Frontiers in Medicine – a peer-reviewed open access medical journal.
There were 125 overweight and obese participants who were deficient in vitamin D.
Participants were prescribed vitamin D3 3000 IU/d oral spray supplementation, or a placebo, alongside a calorie-restricted diet.
The diet programme involved consuming 600kcal less than the total energy expenditure of each individual.
The results
The group taking vitamin D supplementation witnessed a greater reduction in body weight, body mass index (BMI) and fat percentage than the placebo group.
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The Department of Health and Social Care stated that vitamin D supplementation throughout the year is recommended for certain individuals.
One such example is anybody (over the age of four) who is not often outside.
Daily vitamin D supplementation is also useful for people who wear clothes that cover most of the skin when outdoors.
“If you have dark skin – for example you have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background – you may also not make enough vitamin D from sunlight,” the NHS added.
Hypercalcaemia can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart muscle.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) defined hypercalcaemia as a serum calcium concentration of 2.5mmol/L, or higher, on two occasions.
Hypercalcaemia, according to the NHS, can lead to symptoms of:
- Bone pain, fractures associated with underlying bone disorders
- Fatigue, muscle weakness
- Increased urination, increased thirst, kidney stones
- Nausea, vomiting, constipation, pancreatitis, peptic ulcers
- Depression, confusion and coma.
If you are concerned about any supplement you are taking, do consult with your local pharmacist.
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