NHS urges everyone in the UK to take daily supplement until March

The NHS is urging Brits to begin taking one particular vitamin which will not only help maintain healthy bones, teeth and muscles, but will also ensure your immune system operates at peak performance.

Vitamin D serves several vital functions for your health. It assists in regulating calcium and phosphorus absorption whilst helping your immune system work properly.

Securing sufficient vitamin D consumption is essential not just for this, but also for boosting protection against certain illnesses. Inadequate vitamin D levels can lead to skeletal deformities such as rickets in youngsters and bone discomfort caused by a condition called osteomalacia in grown-ups.

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The NHS emphasises: "Government advice is that everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter. People at high risk of not getting enough vitamin D, all children aged 1 to 4, and all babies (unless they're having more than 500ml of infant formula a day) should take a daily supplement throughout the year."

When to start taking vitamin D

The NHS states that from late March/early April through to the end of September, most individuals should be capable of producing all the vitamin D they require from sunshine as the body manufactures vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outside, ,reports the Manchester Evening News. Nevertheless, health experts warn that between October and early March, our bodies cannot produce sufficient vitamin D from sunlight alone.

Due to this, maintaining adequate levels becomes crucial.

This can be achieved through vitamin D supplements alongside consuming foods rich in the nutrient.

Sources include:.

• oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel
• red meat
• liver (avoid liver if you are pregnant)
• egg yolks
• fortified foods – such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals
• Nutritional supplements offer another avenue for vitamin D intake.

In Britain, cow's milk typically provides little of this vitamin since it lacks the fortification found in other nations.

Given the challenge of obtaining adequate vitamin D through diet alone, the NHS recommends everyone - including expectant and nursing mothers - should consider a daily 10 microgram vitamin D supplement throughout autumn and winter months.

What amount of vitamin D is required?

According to the NHS: "Children from the age of 1 year and adults need 10 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D a day. This includes pregnant and breastfeeding women and people at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Babies up to the age of 1 year need 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day."

Could I be lacking in vitamin D?

Certain individuals may struggle to produce adequate vitamin D from sunlight due to minimal or absent sun exposure.

The Department of Health and Social Care advises that adults and children over 4 should take a daily 10 microgram vitamin D supplement year-round if they:

• are not often outdoors – for example, if they're frail or housebound
• are in an institution like a care home
• usually wear clothes that cover up most of their skin when outdoors

Folks with darker skin, including those of African, African-Caribbean or South Asian heritage, might not get enough vitamin D from sunlight alone. It's recommended to pop a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D throughout the year.

More information can be found on the NHS website here.