Take Vitamin D3 – if you hide from the sun - and, perhaps, even if you don't

 

I have been taking Vitamin D3 for over 5 years now.  I have been someone who has hidden from the sun since my late 20’s and as a result I don’t get the Vitamin D that you get from regular exposure to sunlight.

Most pharmacies don’t stock it routinely.  The one I go to now does – but only because I asked.  There are 2 brands that do it – Thompson’s which combines it with fish oil, and Blackmores.

Why Vitamin D3 – well that’s the only one that can be absorbed via food.  And the benefits?  It’s good for bone health.  It is beneficial for your immune system and leads to reduced incidence of flu.  It has some role in moderating insulin secretion and blood pressure.  It protects from some cancers including stomach, lung, colon, breast and prostate.  It is also said to protect from Alzheimer’s and to generally regulate hormones.  Children taking D3 supplements experience improvements in their asthma.

So what’s not to like?

One caution – don’t take too much of it.  Just one tablet a day is probably all you need.  There are specialist sites that suggest taking more in certain circumstances like this one http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/how-to-get-your-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-supplementation/

But because there are risk if you take too much, I would recommend a cautious approach.