1st October, Vitamin D, news and science
   • Vitamin D news and  science  

16th September, Vitamin D and pandemic science
   • Vitamin D and pandemic science  

12th September, Vitamin D, Large scale studies
   • Vitamin D, Large scale studies  

6th September, Vitamin D, Frist clinical trial
   • Vitamin D, First clinical trial  

27th July, Vitamin D, Science
   • Vitamin D, Science  

20th June, Vitamin D hits the media
   • Vitamin D hits the media  

10th June, Vitamin D update
   • Vitamin D Update  

18th May, Dr Shelton, Part 1, Reports from New Zealand
   • Dr  Shelton, Part 1, Reports from New...  

21st May, Dr Shelton, Part 2, Vitamin D
   • Dr  Shelton, Part 2, Vitamin D  

10th May, Vitamin D dose
   • Vitamin D dose  

15th April, Vitamin D and Immunity, Lots of evidence
   • Vitamin D and Immunity, Lots of Evidence  

9th March, Vitamin D and immunity
   • Vitamin D and immunity  

There is not enough evidence that vitamin D supplements protect people against Covid-19, an expert panel says.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-553...

Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Public Health England

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

More research needed

Insufficient evidence

Advised to take a daily supplement this winter to keep bones and muscles healthy

10 micrograms (400 international units)

Nobel prize, 1928, Adolf Windaus

Dr Paul Chrisp

We are continuing to monitor evidence as it is published and will review and update the guidance if necessary

Determinants of vitamin D deficiency in the UK (Clinical Nutrition)

University of South Australia (16th December)

https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal....

https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal....

https://www.unisa.edu.au/Media-Centre...

Using UK Biobank data

https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk

Severe vitamin D deficiency remains an issue throughout the UK

Cross-ethnic analyses on the prevalence and determinants of vitamin D deficiency

25(OH)D equal to or less than 25 nmol/L Calcifediol

10 ng/ml

Data from 440,581 UK Biobank participants

415,903 identified as White European

7,880 Asian

7,602 Black African

1,383 Chinese

6,473 of mixed ancestry

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency

Asian ancestry

57.2% in winter or spring

50.8% in summer or autumn

Black African ancestry

38.5% in winter and spring

30.8% in summer or autumn

Mixed ancestry

36.5% in winter and spring

22.5% in summer or autumn

Chinese ancestry

33.1% in winter and spring

20.7% in summer or autumn

White European ancestry

17.5% in winter and spring

5.9% in summer or autumn

Participants with higher socioeconomic deprivation

More likely to have 25(OH)D deficiency compared to less deprived participants (P = less than 1 × 10 −300)

This pattern was more apparent among those of White European ancestry

Regular consumption of oily fish was associated with reduced odds of vitamin D deficiency across all ethnicities

Asians are less likely to eat fish or use vitamin D supplements compared to other ethnicities

Outdoor-time in summer was less effective for Black Africans than White Europeans

Other risk factors

Living further north

Indoor employment

Computer time and games

Professor Elina Hypponen (SA)

The severity of vitamin D deficiency is concerning

especially with the high rates of COVID-19 infections in Europe and elsewhere in the northern hemisphere this winter

Clinical trials have shown that vitamin D supplements are beneficial in the prevention of respiratory infections and even mortality

Vitamin D is not expensive and the doses which have shown the greatest benefits are those that we can all acquire over the counter from the local pharmacy

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, now is really the time for all who may be affected to take action