If you’ve ever typed “vitamin D UK when to take” into a search bar in Autumn, you’re not alone, and the NHS answer is refreshingly simple. Everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter. That’s October to March. The rest is detail. Useful detail, though, so here it is in plain English, with the NHS as the source throughout.
For the record, I haven’t taken vitamin D over the winter before. This isn’t a “here’s my routine” piece. It’s what the NHS actually says, laid out so you can make up your own mind.
Why October to March?
Your body makes vitamin D when sunlight hits your skin. According to the NHS (opens in new tab), 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. After that, the sun in the UK is too low in the sky for most of us to make enough, however many brisk lunchtime walks we take.
London sits at about 51.5 degrees north, which is further north than Calgary, and Manchester and Edinburgh are further north still. That’s the whole reason for the October cut-off. It’s about latitude. Nothing to do with how healthy you are.
What vitamin D actually does
The NHS says vitamin D helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, and that those nutrients are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. You’ll see plenty of bigger claims online. The NHS page mentions reports about vitamin D and coronavirus, but the advice it actually gives is about bones, teeth and muscles. I’d stick to what the NHS page says and treat anything grander with suspicion.
How much vitamin D to take in the UK
The NHS figure for adults and children from age 1 is 10 micrograms a day. Supplement labels often use international units (IU). The NHS says 1 microgram is 40 IU, so 10 micrograms is 400 IU. If the tub in your hand says 400 IU, it’s the same thing. More isn’t better.
The NHS says adults and children aged 11 to 17 shouldn’t take more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) a day. For children aged 1 to 10 the limit is 50 micrograms (2,000 IU), and for babies under 12 months it’s 25 micrograms (1,000 IU).
The 10 microgram recommendation comes from the government’s Scientific Advisory Committee (opens in new tab) on Nutrition, which reviewed the evidence in its 2016 report on vitamin D and health.
Who the NHS says should take it all year
This is the part most people miss. For some groups, the NHS advice isn’t October to March, it’s every day, all year round.
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People in an institution such as a care home.
People who usually wear clothes that cover most of their skin when they’re outside.
All children aged 1 to 4.
Babies, unless they’re having more than 500ml of infant formula a day, because formula is already fortified. The NHS dose for babies under 1 is 8.5 to 10 micrograms a day.
Vitamin D and darker skin in the UK
The NHS also says that people with an African, African-Caribbean or south Asian background may not make enough vitamin D from sunlight, even in summer, and should consider taking a supplement all year. It’s easy to skim past. If it applies to you, it changes the advice from a winter habit to a year-round one, which is worth knowing before you put the tub away in April.
Can you get enough from food?
Some foods contain vitamin D. The NHS lists oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, herring and mackerel, along with red meat, egg yolks and fortified foods like some fat spreads and breakfast cereals. It’s a good list. It’s also quite hard to eat your way to 10 micrograms a day from it, especially if you’re vegetarian or not keen on oily fish, which is why the NHS talks about supplements for winter at all.
Reading a vitamin D label
Supplement aisles can be confusing, so here’s the one thing to check. Look for the amount per tablet, capsule or spray in micrograms, or in IU if that’s all it gives, and compare it with the NHS figure of 10 micrograms (400 IU). Then check what else you take. Plenty of multivitamins, some cod liver oils and a lot of “immunity” blends already contain vitamin D. If you add a separate vitamin D tablet on top without noticing, you could end up taking more than you meant to. Add it up before you add another.
Can you have too much?
Yes, from supplements, but not from the sun. The NHS says that taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period can cause too much calcium to build up in the body, known as hypercalcaemia, which can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart. It also says you can’t overdose on vitamin D through sunlight exposure. Some medical conditions mean people can’t safely take as much. If that’s you, the NHS says to consult your doctor. If in doubt, ask.
Free vitamins through Healthy Start
Women and children who qualify for the Healthy Start scheme can get free supplements containing vitamin D (opens in new tab), according to the NHS. If you’re pregnant or have young children and money’s tight, look it up. It’s free.
When to start, and a handy reminder
The UK clocks have just gone back so it’s the moment the evenings suddenly shrink, and it’s as good a nudge as any to think about vitamin D if you’re going to. Then the same thing in reverse: when the clocks go forward in late March, the NHS advice for most adults is that sunlight can take over again. Two dates a year. Both are already on your phone, and between them they cover roughly six months on and six months off for most adults. For the full advice, go straight to the source: the NHS vitamin D page.
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