Millions of Brits may need to take a daily pill without even knowing it. Sunshine plays a vital role in staying healthy, but with the UK enjoying just 53 sunny days on average last year, opportunities to bask in natural light are scarce.
The British Nutrition Foundation found that nearly half (44%) of people in the UK never take vitamin D supplements, leaving millions potentially deficient nationwide.
The UK Department of Health urges everyone, including expectant and nursing mothers, to take a daily vitamin D supplement throughout autumn and winter (October to March). NHS experts also suggest those at higher risk should think about carrying on during sunnier months.
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in regulating calcium and phosphate levels in the body, essential for maintaining robust bones, teeth and muscles. A deficiency of vitamin D can lead to skeletal abnormalities such as rickets in children, and bone discomfort from osteomalacia in adults.
Our bodies generate vitamin D through direct exposure to sunlight on our skin when outdoors. Government health advisors suggest that people should consider taking vitamin D supplements daily during the autumn and winter months.
Vitamin D can also be obtained from limited food sources, including oily fish, red meat, egg yolks, and enriched products such as certain breakfast cereals, but food intake alone isn’t usually enough to get the recommended daily amount.
According to the NHS: “During the autumn and winter, you need to get vitamin D from your diet because the sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D.
“But since it’s difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.
“Between late March or early April to the end of September, most people can make all the vitamin D they need through sunlight on their skin and from a balanced diet. You may choose not to take a vitamin D supplement during these months.”
Vitamin D pills can be bought from around 2p per capsule from Boots.