Why Vitamin D is Your Winter Essential

🌞 Why Vitamin D Matters This Winter: Essential for Your Bones, Mood, and Immunity

Image: Daoudi Aissa

As the winter months approach, our natural access to sunlight drops, limiting our ability to make enough vitamin D. Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D is essential for much more than bone health—its reach spans immunity, mood regulation, and muscle strength, and it’s particularly crucial for those approaching or going through menopause.

Here’s a deeper look into why this vitamin matters and some top tips to get enough when sunlight is scarce.

🌞 Facts About Vitamin D

Vitamin D functions differently from other vitamins in that it behaves more like a hormone. Our bodies naturally produce it from cholesterol when our skin is exposed to sunlight, which is why it’s often dubbed the 'sunshine vitamin.'

This fat-soluble vitamin can be stored in the body for extended periods and exists primarily in two forms: vitamin D2 and D3. Of these, vitamin D3 is the more effective type for raising blood levels of vitamin D.

The benefits of vitamin D are particularly pronounced in relation to bone health. It aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the gut, nutrients that are crucial for maintaining strong and healthy muscles, teeth, and bones.

🌟 Why Vitamin D is So Important: Key Benefits

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• Bone Health & Strength 🦴: Adequate vitamin D is crucial for maintaining strong bones, as it helps your body absorb and utilise calcium, essential for bone strength. From your late thirties onward, bone density naturally begins to decline, making bones weaker and more prone to fractures. Women are particularly affected during menopause due to a significant drop in oestrogen, which is vital for preserving bone density and reducing their osteoporosis risk. During this time, bone breakdown outpaces new bone growth, highlighting the importance of vitamin D for minimising bone density loss and enhancing calcium absorption.

• Immunity Boost 🛡️: Vitamin D plays a significant role in supporting the immune system. It helps regulate immune responses and lowers inflammation, reducing the risk of chronic infections. During cold and flu season, getting enough vitamin D might give your immune system the support it needs to fend off infections more effectively.

• Mood and Brain Health 😊: Low vitamin D levels are linked with mood disorders, including seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which many people experience as daylight hours shorten. Vitamin D receptors are present in brain regions involved in mood regulation, so keeping levels topped up may help stabilise mood and ward off winter blues.

• Muscle Strength 💪: Vitamin D supports muscle function by enhancing calcium absorption in muscle tissue, which is essential for strength and coordination. This reduces the risk of falls and fractures, a key benefit for older adults and those wanting to stay active through winter.

• Metabolic Health 🔥: There’s evidence that vitamin D may help regulate insulin production, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Studies have repeatedly shown that people with adequate vitamin D levels have better blood sugar control, which is beneficial for metabolic health.

• Heart Health ❤️: Vitamin D plays a crucial role in heart health by helping to regulate blood pressure and reducing inflammation in the cardiovascular system. Having enough of this vitamin can contribute to a lower risk of heart disease and improved overall heart function.
  
  
  

🔆 5 Ways to Get Enough Vitamin D This Winter

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1. Catch the Sun When You Can ☀️: Even on cold, clear days, try to get 10–30 minutes of sunlight exposure around midday to boost vitamin D. This can be tricky in the UK, but every bit helps, especially in autumn when there’s still some UVB available.

2. Up Your Diet Game 🐟: Certain foods are naturally high in vitamin D. Aim for oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, and herring. Red meat, liver, egg yolks, chanterelle mushrooms, and fortified foods like certain cereals, orange juices, and plant-based milks also help boost vitamin D intake. However, it's important to note that dietary sources typically do not provide sufficient amounts of vitamin D.

3. Consider Supplements 💊: The NHS recommends taking a daily 10 microgram (400 IU) supplement of vitamin D in the autumn and winter. Some people may benefit from higher doses, so it’s wise to check with a healthcare professional if you think you may need more. If you are taking prescribed medication then you should always check with your GP before taking supplements.

4. Incorporate Weight-Bearing Exercise 🏋️‍♀️: Exercise that puts weight on your bones, like walking or lifting weights, encourages bone health by strengthening the structure, especially when vitamin D and calcium levels are optimal.

5. Check Your Vitamin D Levels 📊: Consider getting a blood test to see where your vitamin D levels stand, particularly if you work indoors, have darker skin, or are over 65, as these groups are at higher risk of deficiency.

🌞 Vitamin D Deficiency Signs

Did you know? About 25% of adults in the UK are not getting enough vitamin D.

❌ At-Risk Groups:

• Those spending most of their time indoors 🏠

• People over 65 years (older skin produces less vitamin D) 👵

• Individuals with darker skin (takes longer to produce enough vitamin D) 🌍

• Those who cover their skin for cultural reasons 🧕

⚠️ Symptoms of Low Vitamin D:

• Tiredness & weakness 😴

• Muscle, back, and bone pain 💔

• Increased susceptibility to infections 🤒

• Poor skin healing 🩹

• Low mood & potential depression 😞

Long-term deficiency can lead to serious conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, weight gain, and even some cancers. 🩺

🛑 Can You Have Too Much?

Vitamin D toxicity is rare, as our body regulates production from sunlight, but overdoing supplements can cause toxicity if very high doses are taken for extended periods. Symptoms may include confusion, drowsiness, abdominal pain, and high blood pressure.

Vitamin D and Nutrient Synergy 🥦

Vitamin D works best alongside calcium, magnesium, and vitamins A and K2, as these nutrients support one another. For example, vitamin K2 helps direct calcium to the bones instead of arteries. Make sure you’re getting a variety of nutrients for the best overall benefit to your health.

By prioritising vitamin D this winter, you’re investing in stronger bones, better mood, and a healthier immune system—a few powerful tools to help navigate the winter months.

References

1. https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/bone-health/vitamin-d-for-bones/

2. https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/vitamin-d/

3. Ellison DL, Moran HR. Vitamin D: Vitamin or Hormone? Nurs Clin North Am. 2021 Mar;56(1):47-57. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2020.10.004. Epub 2020 Dec 28. PMID: 33549285.

4. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

5. Sonia Arunabh, Simcha Pollack, James Yeh, John F. Aloia, Body Fat Content and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Healthy Women, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 88, Issue 1, 1 January 2003, Pages 157–161, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2002-020978

6. https://patient.info/bones-joints-muscles/osteoporosis-leaflet/vitamin-d-deficiency

7. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/09/17/vitamin-d-is-good-for-the-bones-but-what-about-the-heart

8. Akpınar, Ş., Karadağ, M.G. Is Vitamin D Important in Anxiety or Depression? What Is the Truth?. Curr Nutr Rep 11, 675–681 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-022-00441-0

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557876/