Vitamin D supplements have been a hot topic in medical circles in recent years, with some experts arguing that their usefulness remains uncertain. The results fit with the observation that colds and flu are most common during winter and spring, when levels of vitamin D are at their lowest. More than three million people in the UK could stave off infections such as colds or flu every year if everyone took Vitamin D supplements, experts have said. Last year, Public Health England said that people were generally not getting the recommended 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day during winter. However, health officials say that vitamin D is vital for bone and muscle health.
Audio: A bit more vitamin D might help prevent colds and flu
It's long been known that vitamin D helps protect our bones, but the question of whether taking vitamin D supplements helps guard immunity has been more controversial. And certain foods like sardines and other oily fish naturally contain significant levels of vitamin D. For instance, a serving of salmon can have almost a whole day's worth of vitamin D. And the body produces its own vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. "Many of our patients come in and say: I want to be tested for vitamin D," says Monique Tello, a primary care doctor at Massachusetts General in Boston who has written about vitamin D levels. That was based on national survey data finding that less than 6 percent of Americans had vitamin D levels lower than 12.5. "What we found is that those with the lowest vitamin D levels experienced the greatest benefit from supplementation," Martineau says.collected by :Lucy William
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