Over the past two decades, tests to measure vitamin D levels have become some of the most frequently ordered from laboratories. This is due to the increased awareness of the beneficial effects of vitamin D on many aspects of health and the high prevalence of deficiency. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. The main source of vitamin D for most humans is through the action of UVB light from the sun on bare skin which triggers the synthesis of cholecalciferol (vitamin D). Vitamin D is found in small quantities in...

t the Hay Literary Festival in May the geneticist Steve Jones spoke about the health benefits of taking vitamin D supplements. He said that, although in the past he thought that taking nutritional supplements was nonsense, he now takes vitamin D every day. That’s quite a turnaround but he’s probably right to do so. Vitamin D – the Sunshine Vitamin  The best source of vitamin D is sunshine. Spending time with bare skin exposed to the sun without any sunscreen is needed for the manufacture of vitamin D in the...

Vitamin D can help maintain your immune system and support strong bones, but did you know it is actually a hormone rather than a vitamin? Confused? Don’t be. Here is all you need to know about the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’. As we are spending more time in our homes, a daily dose of Vitamin D has never been more important to help you and your family stay well. When your body gets Vitamin D (from sunlight, food, or supplements), it turns the Vitamin D into a hormone. This hormone is called activated...