Vitamin D Shot
Vitamin D is known as the ‘sunshine’ vitamin, but 1 in 5 adults in the UK appear to have lower than average levels
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin and an important component in maintaining your overall health and wellbeing
- Maintains bone density and bone health
- Supports the immune system
- Regulates the activity of more than 200 different genes
- Aids the absorption of calcium and phosphate in the body (these are essential for muscles, teeth, and bones)
- Helps prevent osteoporosis
- Reduces inflammation
- Supports brain function
- Modulates cell growth, nervous system, heart function and normal blood clotting
- May help protect against respiratory infections
- May alleviate symptoms of arthritis (research is ongoing but shows promising results)
- Reduces stress levels, alleviates mood and helps depression -SAD disorder
Where is Vitamin D found?
Food sources include
- Fatty fish e.g. tuna, salmon and mackerel
- Beef liver
- Cheese
- Egg yolks
- Foods fortified with Vitamin D e.g. orange juice, alternative milks, cereals, some dairy products
Signs and symptoms that may indicate requirement of Vitamin D supplementation
- Fatigue and low energy levels
- Low mood/ depression
- Eczema
- Musculoskeletal aches and pains
- Muscle weakness
- Hair loss
- Generally feeling unwell or being unwell fairly often
- Impaired wound healing
- Impaired cognition
What factors can increase the risk of having low levels of Vitamin D?
- Patients with reduced skin exposure to sunlight (e.g. those who spend much time indoors or those that cover a large proportion of their body)
- Patients with darker skin tone (as dark skin needs more sunlight to make the same amount of Vitamin D as paler skin)
- Patients with certain diseases (e.g. Crohn’s Disease, Coeliac Disease, Kidney Disease)
- Patients taking certain medication
- Obesity
- Elderly patients
- Patients who wear a considerable amount of SPF (as this reduces the body’s ability to synthesise the vitamin)
- Patients on vegetarian or vegan diets
- Patients that are pregnant or breastfeeding
What is the benefit of having a Vitamin D shot?
Vitamin D offers a wide range of health benefits, including boosting your immune system and protecting your body from illnesses and infections. It improves energy levels, mood and alleviates symptoms linked to depression. It is beneficial especially if you are not absorbing enough Vitamin D through your lifestyle and/or diet.
How often do you need a Vitamin D shot?
Following a comprehensive consultation with the Practitioner, the injection regime will be tailored according to the individual’s clinical needs and lifestyle.
Do you need a blood test before having this shot?
As Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, we advise all patients to have a blood test at their GP surgery/clinic within one month of their initial appointment and bring their blood test results with them to ensure the suitability and requirement of the Vitamin shot.
Who is this Vitamin shot unsuitable for?
- Under 18 years of age
- During pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding
- Patients with kidney disease and renal failure
- Patients with hypercalcemia
- Patients with hypersensitivity to Vitamin D
- Patients with active Cancer or undergoing chemotherapy/radiotherapy
- Patients with cardiac disease
*Disclaimer*
This service will not diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. We strongly advise you to seek medical advice should you be concerned about any related health matters.