Free Vitamin D from SG for sheilders

[dementedpixie]

My gp practice has just put a post on fb about free vitamin D and from googling have found that if you were shielding that you can apply for a free 4 months supply from the Scottish government. I will post a screenshot with what to do although letters have apparently been sent out with the info.

They say they’re not sending out the supplies of vit D until December. The second wave of Covid is predicted to peak in my area (Tayside) in mid November. So, too late for many.
Vit D is dirt cheap and available in supermarkets or online. I’d advise everyone living north of London to get themselves on it right now if you haven’t already. You should have been taking it since the start of October, as sunshine levels are inadequate to produce enough vitamin naturally by then.
As well as evidence that it improves immunity and reduces the severity of Covid if contracted, it improves bone strength and possibly reduces the incidence of multiple sclerosis, which is more common the further north you go.

Good info, thanks.

How much are they recommending?

My mum got the letter and has ordered the tablets. I imagine they will be the standard dose recommended I.e. 10ug/400IU

The Scottish Government is being clever here. They won't get as much blame when it becomes more widely known that having a good level of vitamin D would have prevented severe Covid cases, ICU admissions and deaths.
The NHS guidelines on daily dose are low. Lower than experts on immunity recommend and lower than other countries recommend. Dr John Campbell has a couple of YouTube videos on how to work out the best dosage for your weight.
It should be taken with K2.
Some brands combine it with K2 in the same spray or pill.

I take 1000iu per day for maintenance in winter. BetterYou spray combined with K2 from Holland and Barrett.
I have read that up to 4000 is OK. Presumably you'd take that as a loading dose of you are low, or deficient.
K2 is also in some foods (grass-fed butter is one I believe). So you may get enough of that through food alone depending on diet. But it isn't possible to get enough vitamin D in winter through diet alone.

DP’s neurologist recommended a daily dose of at least 4000 for everyone in Scotland daily when he was diagnosed last year.

He’s been taking it since and I’ve been more religious since this all kicked off! Children should take it too. Not sure of the dose as mine are older.

@wouldbegood, yes recent research does recommend 4,000. Much higher than the NHS recommendation and the daily guidance on supplements. I will increase mine now.

I've been taking a Vitamin D Supplement recently, but just looked and it's only 10 IU So really it should be 4000 IU? Wow.

Can anybody recommend a brand?

Well that the maximum recommended. I take 25ug/1000IU

Ah okay, so definitely higher than what I've been taking anyway...

Thanks for this thread because even taking the small dose I feel really helps me... hopefully with a higher dose I will notice a big difference!