Why do I need Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is also known as the sunshine vitamin and it helps to regulate the absorption of calcium and phosphate in the body.

Recent studies have found that Vitamin D deficiency is an issue across all age groups in Ireland and a special Government committee was formed in 2020 to examine how to address this in the context of public health.

In fact, Co. Donegal was found to have alarmingly low levels of Vitamin D compared to the general population in a study in 2019. This was discovered and publicized by Dr. Martin Coyne while researching osteoporosis. In a sample of 10,000 test results from Letterkenny University Lab, he found that 75 per cent of samples tested had insufficient Vitamin D levels and 12 per cent were extremely low. This compared to a previous study which showed that 12.5 per cent of older adults across Ireland were deficient.

Vitamin D deficiency is known to be one of the major contributing factors leading to osteoporosis (brittle bones) and one in two women will experience a fracture or bone damage as a result, with post menopausal women being most at risk. Ageing men are also at risk of course, as general bone density starts to decline in early middle age.

So the better your bone health is early in life, the better it is likely to remain as you advance in years.

It’s important to note that Vitamin D supplements such as pharma nord vitamin d are available and can be beneficial at almost every stage of life. It is advised to give newborn babies liquid Vitamin D supplements in Ireland for the first 1-2 years of life as breast milk is low in Vitamin D and it is also added to infant formulas.

You may also notice that many milk brands in the supermarket also now offer a fortified or ‘super’ milk ‘with added Vitamin D’ and this is another way in which countries like Ireland with low levels can boost intake across all age groups.

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms include:

• Low immunity
• Anxiety or depression
• Tiredness and fatigue
• Aches and pains
• Muscle weakness, cramps
• Hair Loss
• Impaired wound healing

Here at Brennan’s Pharmacy, we know that Vitamin D deficiency is a health issue for many Irish people both locally and nationally and we offer a range of supplements suitable for all budgets and age groups, including our top-selling Pharma Nord Vitamin D Pearls. Brennan’s Pharmacy supports this product as it is a high-strength vitamin D in a cold-pressed olive oil capsule that allows for high absorption in the body as vitamin D is fat-soluble. This means you get the most out of your supplement. There is a very wide range of Vitamin D tablets and various supplements in Ireland nowadays and we know it can be confusing wondering which one is right for you- so we aim to provide you with a quality product range that you can trust.

For our full range see (link) or feel free to pop into your local Brennans pharmacy for more information.