THE link between vitamin D deficiency and heart disease will be explored in public talk in Chester.

Many of us take stock of our diet during the month of January, and a timely public research seminar at the University of Chester will be exploring the health benefits of vitamin D.

Vitamin D is required for the regulation of calcium metabolism andtherefore plays a key role in bone health. However, emerging evidence also suggests a wider range of other health benefits of vitamin D, not solely limited to musculoskeletal health, but other areas such as cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin D is unique amongst the vitamins, as it is not only obtained from the diet, but is also synthesised in the skin from the action of sunlight. With sunlight in short supply in the UK at this time of year, and since it is difficult to achieve the recommended intakes from natural food sources alone, in a change to previous advice, the Government is now recommending that we supplement our diet with vitamin D throughout the year to help the UK population consume the recommended intakes of vitamin D.

The research seminar, which takes place on Tuesday (January 16) will be presented by Dr Sohail Mushtaq, who is a senior lecturer in Nutritional Biochemistry at the university, and leads the institution’s Micronutrient Metabolism Research group. 

He said: “In this seminar, I will be discussing three particular areas: the evidence in relation to vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease risk; whether we should be taking vitamin D supplements or not; as well as sharing key findings from the latest research being carried out within my research group.”

The seminar takes place on Tuesday at 6pm, on the University’s Parkgate Road Campus, in Beswick 017. Refreshments will be served at 5.45pm.

Tickets are free and can be booked by emailing: a.morgan@chester.ac.uk