Nutrition expert Dr Michael Mosley has revealed he's taking a daily supplement costing just 2 pence to ward off dementia and cancer. The 66 year old inventor of the 5:2 and Fast 800 diets revealed he's consuming Vitamin D daily due to its pivotal health benefits, especially for those advancing in years.
In his column for the Daily Mail, the renowned fitness doctor said traditionally, he's not a fan of supplements as a well-rounded diet should provide all necessary vitamins. However, he asserted that the body's ability to absorb Vitamin D diminishes as we age - an essential element important for preventing diseases like dementia and reducing colon cancer risk.
Previously, Mosley would only pop the supplement during wintertime when sunlight is less potent, but has recently decided to make it a year-round routine. The NHS, too, endorses a daily dose of this vitamin.
A pack of 400 pills costs around £8.99, making each pill cost roughly 2 pence per day.
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The doctor shared: "I eat a lot of oily fish and eggs, both rich in vitamin D, and I also go outside for lots of walks, so my vitamin D levels should be well topped up. However, this year I am going to keep taking those supplements."
He went on to justify his decision by citing ageing research studies, explaining: "That's partly because, surprise surprise, each year I get older and studies have shown that as we age our bodies become less effective at absorbing vitamin D from food and our skin also becomes less efficient at converting sunlight into this nutrient."
"That, and the fact older people tend to spend more time indoors or in the shade, means that vitamin D deficiency is very common in the over 60s, even in the summer months, particularly if you have darker skin."
Dr Mosley said there was differing advice as to the dosage people should take, with the NHS advocating 10 micrograms (mcg) - or 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day. He said the National Institutes of Health in the US recommends 15 mcg - and 20 mcg if you're over 70.
But he added: "I take 25 mcg (1,000 IU), which is within the limits of what's considered safe (anything under 100 mcg a day for adults or 50 mcg for children, according to the NHS) but closer to the sort of doses studies show you need to take to ward off infections, cancers, and maybe even dementia."
He explained vitamin D's best-known role has been to keep bones healthy by increasing the body's absorption of calcium.
He said: "In recent years, scientists have discovered that there are vitamin D receptors in nearly all our cells, suggesting that its usefulness extends far beyond the bones.vBut there's mounting evidence that to enjoy the benefits in these areas, such as preventing colon cancer and maintaining brain health, you need bigger doses than routinely recommended. For instance, when it comes to cancer, a very recent study, published in the journal Science, showed that one of the ways taking large doses of vitamin D might work is by boosting the sort of gut bacteria that are particularly good at preventing the growth of bowel cancers. ".
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