The benefits of vitamin D & how to make sure you get enough in winter

With winter on its way, the days are about to get shorter and sunshine will definitely taper off. This means that as well as pulling out your woolly socks and cranking up the heating, you’ll also need to be extra vigilant when it comes to getting your daily dose of Vitamin D.

Also known as the sunshine drug, Vitamin D plays an important role in keeping your body healthy. So how does it work? Basically, the body uses sunlight to convert cholesterol on the skin into calciol, aka Vitamin D3. The liver converts this into calcidiol, which the kidneys then convert into Vitamin D.

This is then used to perform a host of functions:

• Vitamin D is a big regulator of calcium and phosphorus absorption, which is an essential part of maintaining healthy bones and teeth
• Some experts maintain that Vitamin D plays a protective role in arming the body against diseases like cancer, type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis
• A daily dose of sunshine helps to support the immune system, which keeps winter colds at bay
• As well as the immune system, Vitamin D helps protect the brain and nervous system
• As an insulin level regulator, Vitamin D can help manage diabetes
• If you find yourself short of breath, Vitamin D can help to support lung function and cardiovascular health

Getting your daily dose

So how can you get your daily dose of Vitamin D? The good news is, it’s easy. Just five to 10 minutes of sensible sun exposure, two to three times per week gives the body everything it needs to produce sufficient vitamin D.

You can also boost your count by stocking up on foods that are rich in Vitamin D. One of the most nourishing sources is cod liver oil, though you can also get a good Vitamin D fix from raw herring, raw maitake mushrooms, sockeye salmon, sardines, fortified skim milk, canned tuna and eggs.

If you take statins or other medications that inhibit cholesterol synthesis, liver function or kidney function, you’ll need to be extra careful about soaking up enough sunlight. These types of medications can impair the synthesis of vitamin D, which means you may need to chat to your GP about taking supplements.

Did you know?

Despite its name, Vitamin D isn’t technically a vitamin. Instead, it’s considered a pro-hormone because the body is actually capable of producing its own source through direct contact with sunlight. In comparison, vitamins can’t be synthesised by the body and must instead be consumed via food or supplements.

The good news is, you can do a bit of both! Make an effort to get your daily dose of sunshine, and back it up with a Vitamin D rich diet that will see you through the winter.