Healthy heart According to researchers at the University of Warwick, the D vitamin could dramatically help to cut the risk of developing heart disease or diabetes. "We get most of our vitamin D from a chemical reaction caused by the action of sunlight on skin," says registered nutritionist Carina Norris, author of The Food Manual (Haynes). But if you avoid the sun, you miss out on the vitamin D.
Greater awareness of the risks associated with the sun – skin cancer and premature ageing – has led to people staying out of the sun, using protective sun creams and clothing daily, behaviour which could result in inadequate levels of D. Symptoms of a deficiency include low energy, fatigue, weak bones, muscle pains and lower immunity.
The researchers assessed 28 studies, looking specifically at vitamin D and certain health problems. They found dramatic reductions in each group – 33% decreased risk of cardiovascular disease for people with high levels of vitamin D, compared to those with low levels; 55% for type 2 diabetes; 51% for metabolic syndrome.
According to research published in the British Medical Journal, more than 50% of the adult population has insufficient levels of vitamin D. Other than giving your skin 20 minutes three times a week of sun exposure, you can top up your levels of the vitamin through food. "Oily fish, such as salmon, trout, sardines and fresh tuna, are sources of the vitamin, as well as meat, eggs and dairy products," says Norris. "And some foods are fortified with vitamin D too."