Do I need to take vitamins during the winter months?

With the colder months approaching many of us will start taking a multi-vitamin or grab some vitamin C tablets at the first sign of a cold, but do we actually need to be taking vitamins during the winter season?

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps the body to absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet.  It helps to strengthen our bones, improves brain development and function, and can also help to reduce inflammation.  Through research we also know that people that are deficient in vitamin D also tend to have lower immune system responses as well as increased susceptibility to infection, not what you need when nasty bugs are flying around! 

We absorb vitamin D from sunlight, however with the darker nights drawing in, getting enough vitamin D can be difficult.  Foods such as oily fish, eggs and fortified breakfast cereals can be good sources of vitamin D, but it’s difficult to get enough through your diet.  

Recommendations?

The Department of Health recommends that you take a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of Vitamin D throughout the winter months to prevent deficiency.  Depending on your ethnicity (usually if you are from African, Caribbean or a South Asian background) you may need to supplement slightly more than this, however it’s best to speak to your GP or pharmacist about this as taking too much vitamin D can be harmful.  

Multi-vitamins

Years ago, it used to be difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals needed to support a healthy immune system in the winter months.  This meant that taking a multi-vitamin would be a good option to keep your body fit and healthy.  Nowadays, there are not many people that eat seasonally, and we don’t always have access to a wide variety of fruits and vegetables all year round.  For some people who have a particularly limited diet, or that follow a vegan diet for example, taking a multivitamin would be a sensible option.

However, as a nutritionist, my advice would always be to try and get your vitamins and minerals through food rather than supplements if possible.     

By Sara Norborn – Nutritionist

ANutr, MSc, BA (Hons)