Take vitamin D to help back pain?

vitamin-dRecent reports say we should now be taking vitamin D during the winter months to supplement our natural levels and this will help our muscles and bones. Then a few weeks later there was some confusing news that this was misleading advice and we probably didn’t need to worry. Why have the recommendations suddenly changed and why is there still disagreement? Confused by this; lets try and unpick the detail.

 

NHS Guidelines – Vitamin D supplement required

Initially the new government guidelines from Public Health England (PHE) were based on a report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

In their last report in 2007 on vitamin D they said there was inconclusive evidence to recommend taking vitamin D supplements and that normal sun exposure was sufficient to meet our needs. However in this new report they now recommend that it is difficult to get our required amount in the winter months and food alone cannot sustain our needs and so supplementation is required.

 

BMJ comment on the new guidelines

This new guideline was then commented on in the British Medical Journal by Louis Levy who agreed with the new proposals but it was also criticised by Tim D Spector who thought that there was a danger of having too much vitamin D. These comments were then reported in the press and it was this which could cause confusion.

So who should we believe and what can we do to help ourselves? I think we have to use the NHS guidelines as a starting point. Adequate Vitamin D levels are essential for control of calcium and phosphate levels which in turn lead to healthy bones, teeth and muscles. If you are concerned about your levels you can always consult with your GP who may carry out a blood test and then advise on the results of your test. There are also self-testing kits available which will give you an accurate reading of your levels which you can then use to see if supplementation is required.

 

Daily Vitamin D supplement recommended

In summary the new NHS recommendations are “that people over the age of one should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D, particularly during autumn and winter” and “People who have a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency are being advised to take a supplement all year round.”

The guidelines also highlight that there is a problem if you have too high levels of vitamin D which can lead to high levels of calcium being absorbed by the body which is called hypercalcaemia. This can lead to weakening of the bones and damage to the kidneys or heart. For this reason it advises  not to take more than 100mcg of vitamin D a day. Be aware that some foods are fortified with vitamin D so you could be supplementing already.

The best way to get vitamin D is through exposure through sunlight and the NHS guidelines give advice on this saying “Most people can make enough vitamin D from being out in the sun daily for short periods with their forearms, hands or lower legs uncovered and without sunscreen from late March or early April to the end of September, especially from 11am to 3pm”.

They go on to say that giving exact timings is difficult due to different skin types will absorb different levels of sunlight. Also winter sunlight (October to early March) isn’t strong enough for our bodies to produce vitamin D and so supplementation is beneficial especially as diet alone can not make up the shortfall. They also talk about the risk of skin cancer so balancing your exposure to gain the benefit of vitamin D against the risk of skin cancer is critical and the cancer research website can give help with this.

http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer/am-i-at-risk-of-sunburn

 

Get a Supplement or Blood Test using our discount?

We have talked to BetterYou who offer the vitamin D test kits and who also sell vitamin D products.  They have offered our patients a 20% discount code WAHEALTH which can be used across the vitamin D supplement DLux range until the end of December. This can be used during the check out at www.betteryou.com

BetterYou also provide a blood testing service which can be accessed through this link. It involves taking a spot blood sample from a finger and then sending it off for analysis.

https://betteryou.com/vitamin-d-testing-service

 

Can Vitamin D Help With Other Issues Outside of Muscle and Joint problems?

The NHS guidelines say the SACN looked at cancer, multiple sclerosis and cardiovascular disease but the evidence is inconclusive so far. That said there has been some research looking at autism spectrum disorder, which has produced favourable results.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.12652/abstract

There has also been some research into low vitamin levels and depression with some promising results but again more research needed.

https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/depression/

 

References:

NHS guidelines

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/07July/Pages/The-new-guidelines-on-vitamin-D-what-you-need-to-know.aspx

BMJ report

http://www.bmj.com/content/355/bmj.i6183

Vitamin D Resources

https://www.vitamindcouncil.org

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From the team at Well Adjusted Health

Well Adjusted Health ChiropracticClinic in West SussexProviding gentle chiropractic in West Sussex
including Ashington, Storrington, Steyning, Southwater, Horsham, Shoreham, Worthing and Billingshurst