The ‘sunshine vitamin,’ as it is often referred to, became a topic of public conversation following claims that it could potentially help to stave off Covid-19 infection. And while there is mixed evidence to support that claim, it certainly brought about increased awareness of what our bodies need to function at their best.

Department of Health and Social Care review has been launched to promote the importance of vitamin D and identify ways to improve intake across the population, including through dietary supplements and fortified food and drink.

An official review is to examine whether food and drink can be fortified with vitamin D to close health inequalities, which is essential for bone and muscle health and improving years of life lived in good health.
Current advice states that everyone should consider taking a 10mg vitamin D supplement in the autumn and winter, when the low levels of sunlight make it hard for our bodies to produce enough vitamin D on their own.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said:
“We must break the link between background and prospects for a healthy life, and I am determined to level up the health of the nation and tackle disparities.

“People from Black and Asian communities, older people and people who have limited access to the outdoors are more likely to have lower levels of vitamin D, which is essential for bone and muscle health and improving years of life lived in good health.

“I have launched this call for evidence to identify innovative ways we can encourage people to increase their vitamin D intake and help people live longer, healthier and happier lives.”
The study comes after the government opted not to repeat a scheme handing out vitamin D supplements for free to vulnerable people last winter. During the previous year, nearly three million clinically extremely vulnerable people were offered a free four-month course of the supplement.

Additional resources:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-review-launched-into-vitamin-d-intake-to-help-tackle-health-disparities
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/apr/03/study-to-decide-whether-vitamin-d-should-be-added-to-food