London, March 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Over the past three years awareness of nutritional supplements and their role in helping the nation stay healthier has continued to grow. The government’s distribution of vitamin D supplements to those in vulnerable categories sent a clear signal that this nutrient is essential for well-being. Government advice continues to recommend 10 micrograms a day from October to March.
Health practitioners are keen to emphasize the value of nutritional supplements for those at risk of insufficient intake, especially as consumers are changing purchasing patterns and adjusting to rising food costs.
Office for National Statistics Consumer Price Inflation figures for October 2022 show that prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 16.4%, with many consumers making choices about how often or if these food products are purchased. From a nutritional health point of view, this is not without impact.
Foods with the highest price increases include milk, cheese and eggs, all major contributors to vitamin D intake in the British diet.
According to the Department of Health and Social Care, ‘around 1 in 6 adults and almost 20% of children in the UK have vitamin D levels lower than government recommendations.
Dr. Michele SadlerThe Scientific Adviser to the Health Food Manufacturers Association said, “If people give up entire food groups because of rising prices, insufficient intake of certain nutrients becomes more likely.
This is especially true for vitamin D, of which milk, meat, fish, eggs and breakfast cereals are important dietary sources. Following government recommendations to get an extra 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day will be even more important.”
Dr Sadler points out that consumers can safely get vitamin D when self-supplementing, “There is a wide margin of safety between the safe high intake of vitamin D and the daily requirements, such that supplementation with 25 micrograms per day, even up to 75 micrograms per day, is within the margin of safety.”
Nutrition scientists and industry have called for the government to consider raising the Vitamin D Supplemental Guidelines from 10 micrograms a day to 25 micrograms. The HFMA supports the suggestion that a higher dose recommendation is needed. Supplements are a useful and safe resource for those concerned about insufficient nutrient intake.
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