NHS urges everyone in the UK to take important vitamin this autumn and winter

The nutrient is vital for maintaining healthy bones, teeth and muscles, and is found in very few foods.

As the nights become longer and the days shorter, it's crucial to ensure we're getting enough of the nutrients our bodies need to stay healthy.

This is where vitamin D steps in, a supplement recommended by both the NHS and the government for everyone in the UK to take during the winter months.

Vitamin D plays several vital roles, including supporting bones, teeth, and muscles. The NHS warns that a deficiency can lead to deformities such as rickets in children, and a condition called osteomalacia causing bone pain in adults.

Our primary source of vitamin D is sunlight. However, in Scotland and the rest of the UK, we only get enough of the right kind of sunlight for our bodies to produce vitamin D between April and September.

From October to March, we often have to rely on foods containing vitamin D, but it's usually challenging to get enough from diet alone. Hence, the government advises everyone to consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter.

This advice is based on recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), who provide independent advice to the government based on scientific evidence. According to Public Health Scotland, everyone, including children, should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms (10μg) of vitamin D, reports the Daily Record.

Vitamin D supplements are readily available and won't break the bank. n Amazon, a jar of Vitamin D 4,000 IU Softgels Supplements costs £6.79. A packet of Ultra Vitamin D 4000IU vitamin D supplements, which consists of 96 tablets, costs £6.15 on Vitabiotics, making each pill cost around six pence.

Those at high risk of a vitamin D deficiency, children from one to four years old, and babies not consuming more than 500ml of formula a day should take a daily supplement year-round, according to recommendations.

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Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor from the British Heart Foundation advises: "It's recommended that everyone take a supplement containing 10 micrograms (10 μg, equivalent to 400 IU) of vitamin D daily in autumn and winter.

"More than this is not necessary, and is likely to be more expensive, but you can safely take up to 25 micrograms if that's the size you can find. Don't take very high doses of vitamin D, as if you do this over a long period of time, it can cause too much calcium to build up in the body, which can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and heart."

From late March or early April until September's end, most people are expected to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight. The NHS states children over one year of age and adults should obtain 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those prone to a shortfall.

Babies under one year should have between 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day. With a microgram being a thousandfold smaller than a milligram, vitamin D content might sometimes be given in International Units (IU); hence, 1 microgram equals 40 IU, making 10 micrograms of vitamin D equivalent to 400 IU.

Can you get enough vitamin D from your diet?

Vitamin D is naturally present in oily fish, red meat, liver and egg yolks, and is also added to certain foods like breakfast cereals and fat spreads. The British Heart Foundation states that a 140g piece of baked salmon contains 10.2 micrograms, a bowl of fortified bran flakes has 1.5 micrograms and an egg has 1.9 micrograms.

According to the NHS, vitamin D is found in: In the UK, cows' milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D because it is not fortified, as it is in some other countries. .

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Who should take a vitamin D supplement?

Advice for adults and children over 4 years old: Everyone (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter. .

Advice for people at risk of vitamin D deficiency: Some people will not make enough vitamin D from sunlight because they have very little or no sunshine exposure. The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that adults and children over 4 take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year if they.

If you have dark skin – for example you have an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background – you may also not make enough vitamin D from sunlight.

You should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year. .

Advice for infants and young children

The Department of Health and Social Care advises that babies from birth to 1 year should take a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D all year round. Children aged one to four years old should also be given a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year.

Vitamin D supplements or vitamin drops for under fives can be purchased at most pharmacies and supermarkets. The recommendations for vitamin D are primarily for healthy bones and muscles, as there is insufficient evidence to make conclusions about other diseases, such as heart and circulatory diseases, or coronavirus risk.

A Scottish study in 2015, partly funded by the BHF, found that low levels of vitamin D are linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but this is due to lifestyle factors that increase your risk of heart disease and stroke, not the cause of the increased risk. It's important to note that taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period can lead to hypercalcaemia, where too much calcium builds up in the body, potentially weakening the bones and damaging the kidneys and heart.

Therefore, it's recommended to consult with your GP if you have any questions.

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