[ad_1]
Ingredient supplier Lycored surveyed 500 physically active consumers in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and 66% reported they did not feel they were getting enough vitamin D due to spending more time indoors due to the coronavirus. This concern was particularly high among millennials, with 74% of 25-34 year-olds worried about vitamin D deficiency.
While modern life has made it difficult to get enough vitamin D as more people spend more and more time indoors and eat fewer foods rich in vitamin D, the pandemic has also highlighted micronutrients.
“The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on the vitamin and supplement markets, and one of the most obvious trends has been the rise in interest in vitamin D. Our research supports the case that this is largely the result. concern over the effects of spending more time indoors. Clearly, many sun-deprived consumers are looking for supplements and this demand is set to increase in the near future, especially in countries entering the winter months. “Noted Christiane Lippert, Global Product Manager, Vitamins and Delivery Systems at Lycored, which is based in Israel.
Putting it to the test
According to social media market researcher MediaMeasurement.com, consumer demand for affordable blood tests is on the rise. When looking at general social media citations of blood tests, topics related to food allergens were the most popular in their 2019 report. Vitamin levels was the fourth most discussed topic.
The focus on vitamin status prompted OmegaQuant to launch a vitamin D test at home. Like its range of omega-3 blood tests, Vitamin D is a sample collection kit that requires a stick and a couple of drops of blood for analysis.
“Our new vitamin D test works the same way as our omega-3 tests: with a simple finger stick. No blood draw needed. No doctor needed. No hidden lab costs. And you can collect your sample in security, in the privacy of your own home, “Said Jason Polreis, CEO, OmegaQuant.
“Vitamin D, like omega-3s, is an elusive nutrient for many, which was OmegaQuant’s primary motivation behind launching the test – to give people a way to know if their diets are providing enough. We also know that research is increasingly focusing not only on vitamin D intake, but also on correlating actual blood levels with health outcomes. This is a very important difference, because just taking vitamin D or getting lots of sunlight won’t guarantee your levels are optimal. Only a blood test like ours can guide people to get the right amount for them. “Polreis added.
Benefits
The “sunshine vitamin” helps regulate calcium and phosphate levels, which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Along with factors like age and poor diet, lack of sun exposure is also a major reason for vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D status has been a major player in bone health for decades and in more recent years, research has highlighted the role it likely plays in a wider range of other areas, such as cardiovascular health, obesity and, especially, recently, the immune function.
Research published in 2017 showed that daily vitamin D intake could reduce the risk of colds, flu and respiratory infections by up to 70%. In this study, it was also evident that those with low vitamin D levels appear to benefit the most from supplementation “,Polreis said.
Vitamin D and the ‘Rona
“Although there is no suggestion that vitamin D can prevent or treat COVID-19, studies have indicated a correlation between vitamin D levels and reduced risk of adverse clinical effects. There is also evidence that daily supplementation. of D3 may help reduce the risk of other acute respiratory infections in some groups. News of studies like this has reached consumers and, coupled with concern about lack of exposure to sunlight, is certainly a factor in the increase in interest “,Lippert said.
In fact, research on social media monitoring has indicated a sharp rise in consumer interest in vitamin D. According to another Media Measurement report (paywall), mentions of vitamin D in US social media increased by 181%. between September 2019 and September 2020, when it was the most cited vitamin.
Interest is also high in other countries, perhaps driven by official advice. In the UK, where people are now advised to take 10 micrograms a day, there was a 20% increase in launches of new vitamin D products between 2019 and 2020.
“Vitamin D has received a lot of attention lately due to the pandemic due to the role it plays in fighting bacteria and viruses. According to the Cleveland Clinic, vitamin D is believed to have a protective effect on the immune system, although it is not yet known whether it can help prevent or treat COVID-19. ” Polreis said. “What we do know is that higher rates of COVID-19 infection and death appear to occur in those with lower levels of vitamin D in their system.”
While these associations do not prove that vitamin D deficiency causes an increased risk of COVID-19, it appears to warrant further research to determine if a cause-and-effect relationship actually exists. According to ClinicalTrials.gov, there are over 60 studies on vitamin D and COVID that have been completed or in the works.
.
[ad_2]
Source link
