Vitamin D – the #1 Essential Vitamin For Immune Support This Winter

Are you getting enough?

What is Vitamin D?

It is better known as the Sunshine Vitamin – when you feel the sun on your skin in the summer months, Mother Nature is doing what it does best and supplying you with multiple benefits.  

By definition, Vitamin D acts like a hormone rather than a vitamin.  This is because when the sun hits the skin with ultraviolet rays, it converts cholesterol to a previtamin D, which is then converted in the liver to Vitamin D3 (or cholecalciferol), the most active form.

What are the main forms?

Vitamin D3 – is the main source and is synthesised by the sun but also found in some animal products

Vitamin D2 – is obtained in lesser amounts through plant sources

Are you getting enough?

During the summer months, around 90% of your required vitamin D is obtained through the sunlight, you only need about 20 minutes of exposure to your face, arms, hands and legs without sunscreen.  There are factors which may affect this such as;

• Where you live – the further North you are, the less intense UV exposure on your skin
• The season – winter months have less direct sunlight so you might not be obtaining as much as you need
• The time of the day can affect your intake, greater exposure is when the sun is directly over you
• Cloud cover – provides much less UV light 
• Sunscreen – this can block and reduce
• Age – as you get older, it becomes harder to produce the same amount of levels.

What are the benefits?

Vitamin D is crucial for maintaining healthy bones and teeth by regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.

It helps keep the immune system functioning normally by helping to promote specific cells to fight off pathogens.

It can reduce wound healing time by decreasing the inflammatory response to injury and it also helps support muscle activity and strength and improves overall performance.

Vitamin D exclusively influences insulin sensitivity – the body’s mechanism of up taking glucose and using it in the cells for energy.

Deficiency signs to look out for..

You might be excessively fatigued and sluggish, more than you normally feel. Perhaps your mood has changed and you’re feeling low, depressed or anxious. Vitamin D deficiency can impact the immune system so you could be picking up regular coughs and colds. You might be finding it hard to exercise due to muscular aches and pains or you have some unexplained weight gain?

How can you improve your levels over the winter?

Ultimately the sun is the best source and you only need 20 minutes of exposure to your face, arms, hands and legs without sunscreen – this can be tricky in the winter!

The NHS recommend that during the Autumn and Winter months, everyone should be supplementing to increase their levels but before you nip to the shops, these points should be considered;

• Supplements van interact with other medication so check this with your practitioner
• It is good practice to test your vitamin D levels to understand if you are low and to correctly dose your supplements
• Other supplements can increase the effectiveness such as Vitamin K and magnesium – check whether these are required for you before you buy
• The quality of your vitamin is hugely important. Some contain an abundance of fillers and binders which can reduce the efficacy. Get in touch if you want a recommendation.

What are other sources?

Small amounts can be obtained through foods such as oily fish, mushrooms, some dairy products and eggs but during the winter months, these sources do not provide the same quantities as the sun.

If you are interested in learning more about how to support your health this winter, get in touch.