As part of the Government’s Covid-19 response Public Health England (PHE) will be re-issuing the existing advice on vitamin D supplementation.

The new PHE advice says:

“For most people the current stay at home advice will mean being indoors for much of the day to day, which could result in not getting enough vitamin D from sunshine exposure. Existing public health advice is that if you’re not going outdoors often, you should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.

PHE are recommending that during this time everyone follows the advice (including children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and older people). This advice is specifically about protecting bone and muscle health and not reducing the risk of infectious diseases.”

Nutritionist Pauline Cox BSc MSc and author of the upcoming book “Primal Living in a Modern World” Says: “Not only is Vitamin D is essential for bone, muscle and dental health, it is also vital for the immune system and fighting off viruses. Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. Without it, bone health can suffer and can eventually lead to rickets in children.”

Pauline continues “Vitamin D is essential to a healthy immune system – so much so that a virus will try and block the body’s vitamin D receptor to try and reduce access to the vitamin. By increasing your vitamin D levels you are increasing your access to promote a healthy immune response.”

Vitamin D is produced in the skin by exposing the body to just 10-15 minutes per day of sun. Yet due to social isolation, especially among the vulnerable and elderly, many people are lacking in vitamin D and do not have access to outside spaces for the body to create its own.

Pauline recommends a high-quality ethically sourced supplement such as Wiley’s Finest K2, which not only has 2000iu of Vitamin D and a daily dose of K2 but also 500mg of Omega 3s essential acids EPA and DHA. Together these nutrients support optimal bone and heart health by helping to incorporate calcium into bones.

For children, Wiley’s Finest Beginner’s DHA offers a boost of 400iu of Vitamin D3, as well as 650 mg EPA + DHA Omega-3 per serving.

In addition, two recent studies found that Vitamin D can help build resistance to Covid-19.

One of the studies, published in the Irish Medical Journal, calls for the immediate vitamin D supplementation of hospital inpatients, nursing home residents and older people.

It suggests that vitamin D supplementation in the wider adult population, particularly in frontline healthcare workers, may further limit infection and flatten the Covid-19 curve.

As reported in the Irish Examiner, TILDA principal investigator, Prof Rose Anne Kenny, said they have “very strong evidence” to support a role for vitamin D in the prevention of chest infections, particularly in older adults who have low levels.

“In one study vitamin D reduced the risk of chest infections to half in people who took the supplement,” she said.

K2 is a vitamin that most people have never heard of however it’s essential for the body to transport and distribute calcium around the body – helping to prevent osteoporosis and improve bone health. There is little benefit in taking calcium supplement without maintaining enough vitamin K2 in your diet.

Wiley’s Finest™ Vitamin K2 is available at the recommended retail price of £34.99 for 60 softgel capsules (2 month’s supply). Available from pharmacists across the UK and online at  wileysfinest.co.uk

Wiley’s Finest™ Beginner’s EPA is available via wileysfinest.co.uk for £29.99.

Pauline Cox photography by Suzi Bird of Sunlight Photography