You’ll never guess what these seven people have in common – Daily Mail

Looking at Oliver, Samantha, Simone, Keith, Sophie, Brodie and Adam you wouldn’t think they have much in common.

One is a three year old toddler, one an expectant mother and one an 80 year old man; so what could be the thread tying them all together?

The answer is that they all fall into one of the seven groups of people considered to be at-risk of a vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is created in our bodies by the absorption of the sun’s UVB rays, so not only does it feel lovely to be outside on a sunny day, but it’s actually doing you good too. 

Vitamin D is essential in supporting a normal immune system and plays a vital role in keeping our bones healthy, as it works to regulate our intake of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous.  

And it’s not only our bones and immune systems that need a regular dose of vitamin D; our muscles do too.

The nutrient keeps us active by enhancing the element of our cells responsible for converting our food into energy.

But for those of us living in the UK, it can be difficult to get the amount of sunlight we need in order to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D, especially during autumn and winter when the days are shorter and darker.

So the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommends we all take a supplement at this time of year, while those at-risk should add a supplement to their routine all year round. 

Thankfully BetterYou has created an easy-to-use alternative to traditional tablets and capsules, with a range of oral sprays which deliver vitamin D quickly and effectively.

And they taste good too.

So read on to see if you or your family members could be at risk of vitamin D deficiency and how you can ensure you’re getting enough.

1. Children under 5 years old

Why are they at risk?

We all worry that our children aren’t getting enough vitamin C and spend a lot of time encouraging them to ‘eat their greens’. But did you know that a deficiency of vitamin D could lead to little ones having problems with the development of their bones and muscles?

In fact, babies and toddlers are particularly susceptible to low blood calcium levels if they don’t have enough vitamin D and the Department of Health actually recommends that children under 5 years of age, should be given a supplement of 400IU on a daily basis. 

So start them off on the right track and ensure their bones grow to be strong and healthy by adding a supplement to your child’s daily routine.  

Meet: Rebecca, 26, mother to Oliver, aged 3.

“I always consider vitamin intake when looking at nutrition for my children. I’m lucky in the sense that Oliver is a good eater, he’s willing to try new things and eat healthy foods. The whole family eats a balanced diet and though Oliver went through the ‘fussy eating’ stage, he takes a multivitamin supplement to support overall wellbeing, so we lived to tell the tale. Oliver wears sunscreen most days, except for cold winter days when he’s wrapped up, so although he usually spends between two to four hours outside each day, he is always protected from sunlight. Giving Oliver a daily supplement allows me to ensure he gets all of the vitamin D his growing body needs, and I particularly like using BetterYou’s DLux Junior Oral Spray for its convenience. It’s so quick and easy to use and the fact that it tastes great makes it an easy supplement option as Oliver enjoys taking it.” 

2. Pregnant Women

Why are they at risk?

As expectant mothers are the only source of nutrients for their unborn babies, it’s crucial that they get enough of all of the essential vitamins and minerals. And vitamin D is particularly important as low levels have been linked to a number of pregnancy related issues like pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and a lowering of the immune system defences.

One study* has shown that women who have enough vitamin D are not only more likely to conceive in the first place, but to go on to deliver healthy full-term babies. So not only could a lack of vitamin D be stopping you from getting pregnant, it could lead to adverse health conditions during pregnancy in both the mother and the baby. 

Meet: Samantha, 36. Samantha has a baby on the way.

“I’d been trying to conceive for quite a while and it just wasn’t happening and there was no medical reason to explain why. I had almost given up hope when I spoke to a friend who suggested I try vitamin supplements, so I tried vitamin D and vitamin B12 oral sprays and within three months I was pregnant. I honestly, hand on heart, believe that supplementing vitamins helped us conceive as it was the only thing we changed in our lifestyles. I wasn’t aware of the importance of vitamin D prior to conceiving and I didn’t know that such a huge impact can be made just by taking a vitamin supplement, but BetterYou’s vitamin oral spray is so easy to use, tastes nice and is much more convenient than taking tablets. I will continue to supplement myself and I will most definitely be introducing a vitamin D supplement to my child once he arrives. Knowing that vitamin D is crucial to the health of my family is invaluable.”

3. Over 65s

Why are they at risk?

So many things become more difficult as we get older.

And while we expect to feel like we can’t do quite as much as we used to, something that could be having a bigger impact than you realise is the fact that older people are at-risk of lower levels of vitamin D.

This is because as our bodies age we are less able to synthesise the vitamin and combined with a decreased dietary intake, it becomes a problem.

Lower levels of vitamin D not only contribute to a decline in general wellbeing but can aggravate the ageing process itself, particularly when it comes to mobility. It also adds to the severity of osteoporosis, which in turn increases the risk of falls and fractures.

And one study** even found that there’s a relationship between insufficient amounts of vitamin D and diseases like cognitive decline and cardiovascular disease.

So it’s no wonder the Institute of Medicine recommends those over the age of 65 should aim to take at least 800 IU of vitamin D every day.

Meet: Keith, 80

“Being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2013 and being in early stage dementia has meant that feelings of tiredness were common for me and I never suspected that low vitamin D levels could be contributing to this. My wife began to research vitamin D and we realised that we are more susceptible to a vitamin D deficiency as we get older. While I pride myself on having a healthy diet, I only spend half an hour to an hour out in the sunshine each day, so a daily vitamin D supplement is now an important part of our routine. After I bought a vitamin D oral spray I noticed a difference and I began to feel a lot happier in myself. I no longer feel so tired and I’m sure my immune system has been helped by supplementation.” 

4. People with darker skin

Why are they at risk?

A deficiency of Vitamin D is more likely in those with darker skin due to the increased levels of melanin in their bodies.

Your levels of melanin not only affect how light or dark your skin colour is, but also acts as a barrier towards the sun’s UVB rays. So those with more melanin have a tougher barrier than those with less.

This stops the skin absorbing UVB rays and in turn reduces the amount of vitamin D that person can produce naturally. 

Meet: Simone, 27

“In the UK I never wear sunscreen and only apply a low factor when I visit hot climates, so I aim to get most of my vitamin D from sunshine, spending around three hours outdoors each day. I frequently have a low mood and as the night’s get longer, I feel I am becoming tired for long periods of time which made me suspect I may have low levels of vitamin D. I haven’t tested my vitamin D levels in the past, but BetterYou’s At-home Test Kit was straight-forward to use. Being of Black, British Caribbean heritage puts me at higher risk of being vitamin D deficient. Knowing this, and also discovering that I have insufficient levels of vitamin D, definitely impacts my attitude towards my nutrient intake. The DLux Oral Spray products are the first vitamin D supplements I have tried. They are tasty, easy-to-use and I have felt a lot less lethargic since adding the spray to my daily routine.” 

5. Teenagers and adolescents

Why are they at risk?

Teenagers can be tricky…

The years between puberty and adulthood are fraught with a rollercoaster of emotion, erratic hormonal surges, physical changes and a struggle between wanting to be treated as a grown up without quite being ready.

But did you know that the teenage years are also a crucial time for the development of healthy bones? Once we reach 18 years of age, around 90 per cent of our adult bone mass has already been established, so it’s essential to make sure its as strong as it can be. 

Vitamin D plays an important role in this process by enabling the absorption of calcium into the bone, so if a teen doesn’t get enough sunlight they could become deficient in Vitamin D and impact their future bone health. 

In fact, it’s so important to maintain good levels at this age that NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) advises all young people living in the UK to take a 400 IU daily vitamin D supplement throughout the year.***

Meet: Brodie, 12

“I’ve never considered that my vitamin D levels may be low. I have a normal, healthy diet and spend around an hour in the sunshine each day. I haven’t taken a vitamin D supplement before because I didn’t know how important it was, but since using BetterYou’s vitamin D oral spray I’ve felt an improvement in the way that I feel day-to-day.”

6. Vegans

Why are they at risk?

Vegetarianism and veganism are becoming more and more popular, with one in three Brits having stopped or reduced eating meat.  

Whilst it’s difficult to use diet alone to satisfy vitamin D levels, animal products such as oily fish, eggs and cheese are some of the better food sources of this nutrient. 

So whether you choose to change your diet and cut out meat and fish because of concerns about animal welfare, general health or because of industrial farming’s effect on the environment, it’s likely you’ll need to top up your vitamin D levels.

And while the majority of Vitamin D supplements use lanolin, which is made from sheep’s wool and therefore unsuitable for vegans, natural health brand BetterYou has released an innovative new Vegan Daily Vitamin D Oral Spray produced from Algae instead, so getting enough of the good stuff is now just as easy for those who choose to follow a plant-based diet.

Meet: Sophie, 27

“I aim to get as many nutrients as I can through my plant-based diet however, having an office job means I only spend around 15 minutes per day outdoors and I burn easily so wear sunscreen whenever out in the sunshine, so this coupled with increased feelings of tiredness led me to believe my vitamin D levels may be low. I used an at-home vitamin D test kit to check my levels. The test was easy to use, had simple instructions and the results came back quickly. Ultimately, I need to supplement part of my diet to maintain healthy levels, particularly with vitamin D, and the BetterYou Vegan Daily Vitamin D Oral Spray allows me to do this in a quick and convenient way.”  

7. Office Workers

Why are they at risk?

Life is busy and if you’re a full time employee in the UK it’s likely you spend over 42 hours a week at work.

All this time spent working hard indoors means we’re getting less and less time out and about in the sunshine, so Britain’s office workers are increasingly at-risk of vitamin D deficiency. In fact, nine out of ten office workers were found to have insufficient levels of the vitamin in a recent study****, with shift workers having the lowest levels of all the groups. 

But supplementation is easy and can become a part of your regular daily routine thanks to BetterYou.

Meet: Adam, 36

“As we get most of our vitamin D from sunshine, I know that working in an office is likely to impact my levels and effect my immune system, but it’s really difficult for me to try and counteract this. When my working pattern changed from evenings and nights to a classic 9 to 5 role, I noticed that I struggled to kick colds as easily as I used to and they tended to last longer, especially over the winter, so I suspected that my vitamin D levels may have taken a hit. That’s when I started supplementing with BetterYou’s Vitamin D Oral Spray which quickly improved the way that I felt. I now seem to be able to fight off coughs and colds more easily and I can’t remember the last time I had the flu, which I feel really good about.”

 *https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29859909

 **https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4399494/

***https://cks.nice.org.uk/vitamin-d-deficiency-in-children#!scenario:1

****https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-017-4436-z