How Can Vitamin D Deficiency Be Avoided in Winter?

The main source of vitamin D is the sun, so vitamin D deficiency is often seen in the winter months. Low vitamin D has been linked with problems such as tiredness, body aches and difficulty with weight management. For this reason, it is worth taking some precautions in winter in particular to help avoid low levels.

What Is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a vitamin that is very important for the healthy formation and maintenance of bones. The main reason is that calcium can only be absorbed with vitamin D. It is produced in the body when sunlight converts a chemical in the skin into an active form of the vitamin.

The amount of vitamin D the skin produces varies with the time of day, the season and skin pigmentation. Depending on where you live and your lifestyle, production can therefore fall.

What Is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency means not getting enough vitamin D. A significant deficiency can cause marked symptoms, because the vitamin is used for many different functions in the body.

Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium, one of the main building blocks of bone. It also has important roles in the nervous system, in muscle function and in the immune system.

What causes vitamin D deficiency?

Factors that can lead to low vitamin D include:

• Not getting enough sunlight
• Not taking a supplement when one is needed
• Not meeting increased vitamin D needs, for example in pregnancy and obesity

What Are the Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency can show itself through different symptoms. The important thing is to be aware of this and to take the necessary precautions, with your doctor's guidance.

Signs that have been linked with low vitamin D include the following. They are not specific to vitamin D and can have many other causes, so please see your doctor, who can check your levels with a blood test:

• Headache
• Sleeplessness
• Tiredness
• Bone pain
• Difficulty managing weight
• Low mood
• Pain in the joints and fingers
• General body aches
• Difficulty walking
• Loss of strength
• A constant feeling of being cold
• Hair loss
• Changeable moods
• Dark circles under the eyes
• Excessive sweating

How Can You Get Vitamin D?

You can get the vitamin D your body needs in three ways:

• The skin making the vitamin itself
• Diet
• Vitamin supplements

After exposure to sunlight, the skin produces vitamin D naturally. Production in the skin requires enough sun exposure and varies with many factors such as season, location and skin pigmentation. However, too much sun exposure can cause skin ageing and skin cancer, so do not overdo sun exposure, and use other routes if needed.

Many people can meet part of their vitamin D needs from sunlight. The amount of vitamin D in food is generally not enough on its own, though a suitable diet can contribute. Taking a supplement in line with your doctor's advice and guidance can be helpful in avoiding deficiency.

The body's vitamin needs change with age, and the amount needed increases as you get older. When levels in the body fall very low, bones can become thin and fragile. For this reason it is especially worth speaking to your doctor about supplements in older age.

Which Foods Should You Eat?

Foods that contain vitamin D include:

• Salmon
• Sardines
• Herring
• Mackerel
• Cod
• Egg yolk
• Liver
• Milk
• Meat

This vitamin is resistant to heat and cooking, but because it is present in low amounts in foods, deficiency is common. Eating foods that are sources of vitamin D, together with sunlight, is important for keeping levels up.

This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.