Supplementation measured against sun exposure!
Oral supplementation of vitamin D remains the safest way to get adequate levels, researchers have concluded in a study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. The study compared the sun exposure required to achieve serum vitamin D3 concentrations equivalent to 400iu.
Looking at Boston, America between April and October, it was found that an individual on average would need 8 minutes in the sun to synthesise 400iu, but in Miami, Florida it would only take about 4 minutes. Concluding the research, the team noted that although sun exposure is a good way to obtain vitamin D, there are too many well-known detrimental side effects related to ultraviolet irradiation. Therefore, oral supplementation remains the safest way for increasing vitamin D status.
Low Vitamin D levels ‘linked to Parkinson’s disease’
In a Finnish study of 3000 people, published in Archives of Neurology, found that people with the lowest levels of vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, had a three-fold higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. It was suggested that vitamin D could help protect the nerve cells gradually lost by people with the disease. The study was conducted over 30 years and also concluded that as we age our bodies ability to produce vitamin D through the action of sunlight on the skin diminishes.
Further research is required to find out whether taking a dietary supplement, or increased sun exposure may have an effect on Parkinson’s, and at what quantity and stage these would be most beneficial.
Sources:
Health Food Business: August 2010, Volume 23, Issue 10, Page 10.
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10601091.stm
It’s really hard to believe, but it has now been two years since Bio Nutrition made its debut on the world wide web. Where does the time go? It seems like only yesterday that I was writing a blog post to tell you all about the new site.
We’ve seen quite a few changes over the last two years, as well. Since launch day – which was actually 1 July 2008, so I’m a little late with this blog post – our main site has undergone quite a few changes, in response to feedback from customers. We’ve seen a number of changes in design, as well as changes in functionality – all of which have been done in our ongoing effort to make the site as easy to use, and simple to navigate, as possible.
We’ve also added more content to the site as we’ve gone along, to the point where now for each product there’s detailed information about what the ingredients can be used for, as well as full formulations. Buying from the site has been made as quick and simple as possible, but without sacrificing security.
Social media has also grown significantly in the last two years, and we’ve tried to keep on top of that too. Bio Nutrition has a Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/bionutrition), where we publish quick little snippets that we hope you’ll find interesting, as well as a Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/bionutrition) and a Facebook Group (www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=74207770224). Join any of these (or all of them) and you’ll also get access to exclusive discounts and special offers.
And we’re also contributing back to the world around us with our membership of the 1% For The Planet organisation. This is an initiative where member companies commit to giving 1% of their gross turnover per year to environmental causes. So by buying our products, you directly contribute to improving the world around us. This year, we’ve given our contribution to Surfers Against Sewage – being based on the sunny South Coast, clean beaches and seawater are something that we feel strongly about.
So, in all, it has been a busy two years. Roll on the next two!
General Health
New evidence shows that people with higher levels of vitamin D experience a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, have higher activity in the body’s immune system against infectious diseases like flu and also have better balanced moods and energy levels. Vitamin D also helps build healthy bones, hearts, nerves, skin and teeth, and it supports the health of the thyroid gland, maintaining healthy weight and a balanced metabolism.
Whilst moderate sunlight exposure is the best source of vitamin D, many people incorrectly think that a small amount of sunshine exposure daily is sufficient to meet their vitamin D needs. However, after your skin is exposed to sunlight, it takes about 48 hours to convert it into vitamin D. During that time, the sunlight-initiated precursors to vitamin D can be washed off with soap and water. So if you scrub your skin with soap in the shower, your body will not convert most of your skin’s sun exposure to vitamin D.
This leaves us in a quandary. Whilst vitamin D can be found in many foods, like oily fish, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, mushrooms and many other sources, it is in fairly low amounts and not that easily absorbed. This is where a good vitamin D supplement comes in!
Many nutritional experts agree that the current RDA of 5µg (200iu) is insufficient and should be more like 25µg. However, we do think this may be a little excessive, but regularly recommend 10µg on a daily basis for better health!
Pregnancy
A team at University College London Institute of Child Health say that there is a very “strong case” for a daily dose of vitamin D in pregnancy to go alongside the 400µg of Folic Acid currently recommended.
The Department of Health advises pregnant women to ensure they receive a certain level of vitamin D – 10µg per day. The researchers say this in effect endorses the use of supplements, because diet and the sun provide too little. Women should be informed about the importance of having adequate vitamin D levels during pregnancy and whilst breast feeding.
It is worth noting here that pregnant women on low incomes are entitled to a range of nutrients – including vitamin D – as part of the Healthy Start Scheme.
Dr Elina Hypponen, co-author of the paper, said “The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women in Britain is unacceptably high, especially during winter and spring”. The paper also said that the UK was the only one of 31 countries examined which did not recommend that women of reproductive age took a vitamin D supplement, and that it also failed to endorse a daily supplement for expectant mothers. “We believe that the routine provision of a daily supplement throughout pregnancy would significantly decrease the number of mothers who are clearly vitamin D deficient, reducing related serious risks to their babies.”
If pregnant, thinking of becoming so, or breast feeding we would recommend good all-round nutrition in the guise of our Pregnancy Formula!
“Vitamin D Supplementation in the UK might be beneficial for the whole population.”, Mr Patrick O’Brien, RCOG.
Sources:
Care2.com: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/vitamin-d-lined-to-diabetes-cancer-depression-and-more.html
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/8645104.stm
Protecting the environment is very important to us here at Bio Nutrition. It’s our view that everyone – individuals, companies, governments – should do as much as they can to reduce their impact on the world around them.
That’s why we formulated our Green Policy – to set down what we want to achieve and how we’re going to do it. We use it as our benchmark for everything that we do that may affect the world around us – whether that be sourcing raw materials for the products we market, or making sure that we don’t put too much water in the kettle when we make a cup of tea!
As part of our ongoing efforts to lessen our environmental impact, we’ve been busy over the last few months. All of our computer systems have been replaced with low energy alternatives, bringing the energy usage per machine down by about 65%, and we’ve also improved our “switch it off” policy so that it’s now second nature to everyone in the office to switch off anything that isn’t needed. This has enabled us to keep our daily electricity usage below 33 units – the level which the UK Government has set as being climatically significant.
Now, as a continuation of that process, we’ve changed our electricity supply to 100% renewable. Every unit of electricity that we use has been generated by renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar power rather than fossil fuels. All-in-all, our carbon footprint is now much, much smaller than it has ever been before.
Our commitment to the environment is ongoing and we’ll be doing more in the months and years to come; we’ll keep you updated with how we get on.
Do you have any energy saving tips you’d like to share with other Bio Blog readers? Let us know by leaving a comment.
Normally we like to report on just one story at a time, but today I’m going to do a bit on two stories as, well I couldn’t make up my mind which one to cover as they’re both interesting! So here goes!
B Vitamins Cut Lung Cancer risk!
In a recent European study of 400,000 people (no small number) over eight years, it has been found that people with higher B vitamin levels in their blood appear to be at a reduced risk of lung cancer.
High levels of vitamin B6 and the amino acid methionine cut the risk by half, the study suggested. These occur naturally in many foods or can be taken as supplements.
These higher vitamin levels could simply reflect a healthier lifestyle, so it’s too early to say that taking vitamins would provide extra protection, but there is a suggestion that increasing levels of B vitamins would be of significant benefit.
Lung Cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK after breast, but experts have also made it very clear that stopping smoking remained the single best way of reducing the risk of lung cancer. However, this could mean that ex-smokers and people who have never smoked can do something to reduce their risk of lung cancer.
Dr Paul Brennan, lead researcher of the study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: “If further research does confirm our findings then the the next step would be to identify the optimum B vitamin levels for reducing future cancer risk.”
I’ve never been a great believer in promoting just single B vitamins (although they are a great top up to B Complex) as I believe all the B vitamins work better when taken as a whole, but Bio Nutrition have a great selection of B vitamins together with amino acids like l-methionine and a the greatest range of multi vitamin & mineral formulas which are just brilliant for improving health in general.
Rheumatoid Arthritis ‘on the rise in women’!
One of the most common forms of arthritis is on the rise amongst women. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota say rheumatoid arthritis cases rose by 2.5% between 1995 and 2007, after 40 years of decline, but fell among men in the same 12 year period.
Rheumatoid Arthritis affects around 350,000 people in the UK and is a condition that occurs when the body’s own immune system attacks it’s own joints, causing swelling and pain which in turn affects joint mobility. Women are three times more likely to be affected than men and normally between the ages of 40 and 50 when the menopause starts to set in.
Many previous studies have shown a link between smoking and rheumatoid arthritis and a deficiency in vitamin D has also been associated. Vitamin D production decreases as we age and lower levels have especially linked to the menopause. In recent years there has also been a noted increase in the use of sun blocks (which is a good thing to help protect the skin), but has this slowed down the production of vitamin D, in the suns action on the skin? (This is only my opinion and not grounded in any research!)
Bio Nutriton believe that the safest and most effective way of getting enough vitamin D is thorough supplementation.
Stay Healthy
Sources:
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10318410.stm
BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/10166727.stm
