A doctor has shared advice for people taking vitamin D supplements over the winter
The NHS says people should take a supplement during the winter (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
People living in the UK might not need to take vitamin D supplements for much longer. According to the NHS, people are advised to take supplements between October and early March, when sunlight isn’t sufficient for vitamin D. However, with spring fast approaching, people might soon be able to switch up their supplement regimen.
The NHS explains: “From about late March or early April to the end of September, most people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight.” A doctor has also shared advice for people taking supplements, explaining why vitamin D isn’t always needed year-round and how much to take.
Posting on his YouTube channel (@DrJamesGill), Dr James Gill shared a video titled: “When should you stop taking vitamin D?” The GP told viewers: “Because of the low strength of the sunlight over the winter period and the very small amount of exposed skin, you’re probably generating zero amounts of vitamin D, which is one of the reasons why we tend to feel so much better and brighter in the summertime.
“But this is important for individuals over the winter period because we can describe this as a vitamin D winter. Our body doesn’t produce enough vitamin D. So, it’s not unreasonable for most people to consider supplementation.
“The NHS has guidelines that suggest supplementation should be about 400 international units daily over the winter period. But when would we say is reasonable to stop taking it? Probably as we get towards the end of March. Then the sun is higher in the sky, the rays are stronger, and we’re actually going to start to generate a little bit of vitamin D in our faces and our hands.
“And as the winter disappears further, we move to spring, the temperature increases, we start to wear t-shirts, and we’re getting more vitamin D generation than before. So we’re probably going to be combining that with why we tend to feel a little bit better over the sort of spring and summer period.”
Dr James Gill (Mbchb) completed a BSc in Animal Science at the University of Nottingham. He also graduated from Warwick Medical School in 2010. He is currently a private GP with a special interest in Long Covid.
The doctor continued: “But can you have too much of a good thing? Absolutely. Vitamin D can cause toxic issues. With regard to our NHS guidelines, we have the bottom end of normal vitamin D being 50 nmol/L. Below that, we consider to be vitamin D deficient. But what’s the difference between deficiency and sufficiency?
Vitamin D helps to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
“We don’t have an absolute, but it seems to be most people feel best when we’re around about the 50 to 75 nmol/L marker. Now, that’s important because, as I say, we can go too high and that marker is 250 nmol/L, which is why the advice is that people should not routinely take 4,000 units or more daily. I say routinely.
“There are times when we will prescribe 20,000 units to be taken by patients that have vitamin D deficiency. But that’s definitely something you should speak to your doctor about rather than going and buying off the shelf because vitamin D toxicity is a thing.”
The NHS says: “Do not take more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) of vitamin D a day as it could be harmful. This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 to 17 years.” Always speak to a GP about any health concerns.
