Supplementing magnesium is essential to help the body absorb vitamin D

If you supplement the sunshine vitamin, then it’s vital you take magnesium to help activate this nutrient so it can be used by the body, say researchers.

Magnesium Flakes (RRP £9.95 1Kg)

The review published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association found that Vitamin D can't be metabolized without sufficient magnesium levels, meaning Vitamin D remains stored and inactive for around 50 percent of Americans.

Deficiency in either of these nutrients is reported to be associated with various disorders, including skeletal deformities, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolic syndrome.

Researchers say the magnesium consumption from natural foods has decreased in the past few decades, owing to industrialized agriculture and changes in dietary habits. Magnesium status is low in populations who consume processed foods that are high in refined grains, fat, phosphate, and sugar.

Andrew Thomas founder and managing director of natural health company BetterYou said:

Supplementing vitamin D is advised by Public Health England for everyone during the winter months, which is important for bone and immune health. However, vitamin D is just one piece of the health jigsaw.

Seven in ten of us suffer from low levels of magnesium. And because we don’t get enough from our daily diet, a supplement that gets straight to where it’s needed is the way to recharge our systems.

Supplementing magnesium transdermally (through the skin) is a superior way to absorb this mineral, and has been proven to work five times faster than tablets. As it’s absorbed through the skin, it bypasses the digestive system straight into the body tissue providing a fast and effective dose directly to where it’s needed.

The BetterYou vitamin D oral spray and transdermal magnesium ranges are available at Holland and Barratt, all good health stores and online at www.betteryou.com. Vitamin D home test kits retail at £28 and are available from www.betteryou.com/vitamin-d-testing-service.