The autumn and winter months see the days grow shorter, giving us a smaller window for sun exposure. This, combined with a non-nutrient-rich diet and lack of supplements, can quickly lead to a vitamin D deficiency and other associated health problems.
Read on to discover more about the causes and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, and effective treatments needed to get you through the darker months.
What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency in the UK?
In the UK, between 80%-90% of vitamin D is produced when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UBV) rays from sunlight, while the remaining 10%-20% comes from our diet. However, as the longer nights kick in between October and March, many Brits struggle to maintain sufficient vitamin D production.
With it being colder and darker, our lifestyles usually change too. We spend longer periods of time inside, wear more layers of clothing, and spend less time in sunlight overall due to seasonal weather. Together, all these factors culminate in a lack of vitamin D.
As recently as 2022, it was discovered that one in six adults and around 20% of children have vitamin D levels below the UK government’s recommendation.
What Are the Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency?
The risk of vitamin D deficiency is often greater in the winter months, particularly for people with darker skin, as well as for those who wear covered clothing, spend long periods indoors, or have dietary restrictions.
Adequate vitamin D absorption is crucial for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, and muscle, as well as strengthening immune systems and brain health. As a result, those who don’t get the required levels of vitamin D are more at risk of bone and muscle-related deformities, such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
Even in more minor cases, a vitamin D deficiency can impact day-to-day life, with tiredness, muscle aches, and depressed moods being tell-tale symptoms. With it being more common during the autumn and winter months in the UK, health professionals recommend that people are proactive in finding sources of vitamin D before these signs of deficiency start to appear.
How can we get more Vitamin D?
There are several ways that you can increase your vitamin D intake during the darker months, from supplements to dietary changes.
Sunlight Exposure
During the spring and summer months, people generally spend longer periods of time outside, allowing them to get more exposure to the sun. Over autumn and winter, it’s harder for your skin to receive as much sunlight, making it difficult for sunlight to be your only source for vitamin D. However, even getting 30 minutes of sunlight in the peak of the day can help build up your vitamin D levels during the colder months.
Dietary Sources
Foods like oily fish, including salmon, herring, mackerel, and sardines, are a great source of vitamin D. Other vitamin D rich foods include egg yolks, liver, mushrooms, and fortified foods like spreads, soy and almond milk, and breakfast cereals. Making sure these foods are part of your weekly meal plan will help to ensure you’re getting an appropriate amount of vitamin D in your diet, though this tactic is unlikely to be enough on its own to solve deficiencies outright.
Vitamin D Supplements
The effects of vitamin D deficiency can be significantly reduced by taking supplements all year round, and especially during autumn and winter. In the UK, the NHS recommends taking a daily vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms all year round especially during the low-sun months to maintain healthy levels. It’s important to seek supplements from a trusted supplier and take the correct dosage. For those adults who have a severe vitamin D deficiency, higher weekly doses over 4000IU may be professionally recommended by a clinician or doctor over a course of 6-7 weeks.
Supplementing low levels of Vitamin D
Over the autumn and winter months, vitamin D deficiency is a problem that affects millions of people across the UK. Together, a combination of sunlight exposure, vitamin-rich dietary sources, and supplements can significantly improve your vitamin D levels throughout the year.
At SunVit-D3, our range of Vitamin D3 supplements is carefully manufactured to support bone health, immune function, and healthy well-being. Available in capsule, tablet, gummy and liquid form, and with a variety of options from daily doses to higher weekly strength formulas, our supplements can help boost your overall health and welfare.
The NHS advise that we do not take more than 4000IU of vitamin D each day, with children aged one to 10 having no more than 2000IU a day, and babies under 12 months being given no more than 1000IU a day. Before taking any higher weekly strengths please consult with your health professional.
Visit our Vitamin D3 supplement page for more information.
