16 August 2010

Daily Mail

Milk could be fortified with vitamin D to strengthen bones and prevent heart disease and cancer.

The vitamin is credited with a host of benefits but because the body’s stores of it are mainly formed by exposure to sunlight many Britons do not have enough of it.

In England, half of the population is low in the ’sunshine vitamin’ when winter ends – in Scotland, it is two-thirds.

Vitamin D is credited with a host of benefits but because the body’s stores of it are mainly formed by exposure to sunlight many Britons do not have enough of it.

Government scientific advisors are looking for ways to boost levels. Options include fortifying milk, something already done in countries such as Canada.

Dr Ann Prentice, chairman of the scientific advisory committee on nutrition, said: ‘It is widely recognised within Government circles that we have a problem now that needs to be addressed. Milk is one of the potential vehicles that could be used.’

Milk could be fortified with vitamin D to strengthen bones and prevent heart disease and cancer. The vitamin is vital for calcium absorption and bone health and may help to prevent Alzheimer’s.

Recent research has shown that vitamin D supplements are as good as some drugs at keeping prostate cancer under control – and it is said that taking supplements of the vitamin in pregnancy and childhood could wipe out 80 per cent of cases of multiple sclerosis.

Low levels of vitamin D are linked to a higher risk of dying from cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Dr Susan Lanham-New, a SACN member and a Surrey University nutritionist, said that a study of 14,000 pregnant women in Bristol during the 1990s found that more than 90 per cent of them were not getting enough of the vitamin.

She said: ‘Vitamin D is known to be vital for a wide range of body functions. A lot of us are very worried about [deficiencies] and think it needs looking at.’

Vitamin D-rich foods include oily fish and eggs but with 90 per cent coming from the action of sunlight on the skin there are concerns that advice on abstaining from sunbathing is unnecessarily restrictive.

Finland became the first country to add vitamin D to milk supplies in 2003. Fortification is carried out – but not mandatory – in Canada, Israel and Jordan.

It is said that taking supplements of the vitamin in pregnancy and childhood could wipe out 80 per cent of cases of multiple sclerosis

Opinions on the success of the Finnish initiative are mixed. A 2006 study of young men found that fortification led to a ‘ substantial’ rise in vitamin D of more than 50 per cent. But a similar study the following year concluded that fortification only slightly boosted vitamin D levels.

Any plans for compulsory fortification of milk in the Uk could lead to criticisms that consumers were being stripped of choice, although the vitamin has been added to margarine for many years by law.

The Department of Health said the SACN’s report into fortification would take at least three years to complete.

The Food Standards Agency says most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from their diet and sun exposure but recommends ten micrograms per day for over-65s and pregnant and breastfeeding women.

It warns that high doses can weaken bones but says that taking up to 25 micrograms in supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

Source: MailOnline © Associated Newspapers Ltd 2010 (16/08/10)

14 year old Ryan McLaughlin will do a Zip slide from Forth Road bridge to raise money for Glasgow MS Charity!

Ryan McLaughlin from the Shine on Scotland campaign has offered his support and help to the Glasgow based charity Revive MS Support. Ryan McLaughlin will be taking part in ‘Revive MS support’s ” zip line event and he is gathering people from all over Scotland to help him.

Ryan said – I’ve been working very hard on the campaign for the prevention of MS with vitamin D that I just haven’t had any free time to do anything lately for Revive MS support, but when my mum had  a big relapse a couple of weeks ago Revive MS support was right there for us offering support and treatments.

I know its very important that I don’t forget this amazing charity that looks after my mum and i am honored to help, they have been there for our family right from the day she was diagnosed and I can not and will not let them down.

I have asked all the people on my Facebook  group to help me and I’m proud to say that I’ve now got 14 people that offered to come along do the zip slide and raise at least £100 each which will go towards my target of raising £1500.

A lovely couple who have followed my campaign and have became online friends with my mum have even offered to come all the way from the Isle of Man and take part because they have been so inspired by what the ‘Shine on Scotland’ campaign has achieved in raising awareness of MS.

http://www.revivescotland.org.uk/get-involved/26-adrenaline-events/276-davidrevivemssupportorguk.html