Vitamin D or the sunshine vitamin.
11th March 2025
Vitamin D or the sunshine vitamin is vital to keep us healthy.
But how much do you know about its functions and what it does in the body? Why is it so important and how do you check to see if you have enough?
According to GQ magazine 20% of Britons have a vitamin D deficiency with 60% having insufficient levels.
https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/vitamin-d-deficiency
What is Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a key role in maintaining healthy bones and supporting your immune system.
It's often referred to as the "sunshine vitamin" because your body can produce it when your skin is exposed to sunlight. You can also get vitamin D from certain foods, such as fatty fish (like salmon and mackerel), fortified foods (like milk and cereal), and egg yolks.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which is essential for bone health, and it also has various other roles in immune function, inflammation regulation, and even mood.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency
- Fatigue
- Bone pain or muscle weakness
- Frequent illness or infections
- Depression or mood changes
- Hair loss
- Slow wound healing
- Muscle aches or cramps
- Bone loss or osteoporosis
There are two main forms of vitamin D, Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol),
Vitamin D3 is considered more effective at raising vitamin D levels in the blood and supplements are available in many forms such as tablets, sprays and drops.
Finding out if you have a vitamin D deficiency is simple. A quick and easy blood test can be done at GP Care Now with the results usually available within 24 hours.
Contact GP Care Now for further details and costs.