Dr Michael Mosley says he is taking a 2p pill that can help fend off dementia and cancer.
The 66-year-old, a renowned nutrition expert and creator of popular diets like the 5:2 and Fast 800, says he is an advocate for Vitamin D, especially among older people.
Writing for the Daily Mail, the health guru admitted he’s usually sceptical about supplements, believing a balanced diet should suffice for vitamin intake.
Yet, he highlighted that as we age, our capacity to absorb Vitamin D decreases, which is crucial for staving off diseases such as dementia and lowering the risk of colon cancer.
Dr Mosley used to reserve Vitamin D supplementation for the darker months but has now decided to incorporate it into his daily regimen throughout the year, a move also supported by the NHS.
With a 400-pill pack retailing at approximately £8.99, the cost per pill is a mere 2p, reports the Mirror.
Dr Mosley shared his personal approach: “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.”
In justifying his choice, he offered critical insights into aging research, stating: “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 shared a bit of disparity in advice concerning dosage, with NHS recommending 10 micrograms (mcg) – or 400 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day, while US-based National Institutes of Health suggest 15 mcg – and 20 mcg for those over 70.
However, 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 says vitamin D’s primary role is maintaining bone health through improved calcium absorption.
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.”
But 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.
He said: “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.”