This vitamin helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in your body, which are needed to keep your bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.
During the winter months, when there is less sunlight, it is recommended that you take a vitamin D supplement to ensure you continue to get a healthy amount.
Naturally, people absorb more sunlight during the summer months, but you might be wondering if you still need to take a supplement.
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Do I need to take Vitamin D in the summer?
Health food chain Holland & Barrett explains that depending on your lifestyle, you may need a vitamin D supplement in the summer.
They said: “If you go outside in the sun every day without wearing SPF or covering up too much skin, you’re probably fine.
“The same is true for people who eat a lot of vitamin D-rich foods, such as red meat, whole eggs, oily fish, fortified juices and plant-based milks, and breakfast cereals.”
Humans need to get some Vitamin D every day, so if you’re not getting any sun exposure during the day, you may need to take Vitamin D.
Holland & Barrett added: “During our delightful British summer, it’s common to go a day without getting any decent amount of sunlight or eating foods that contain vitamin D, so supplements could be considered a ‘buy-all’ option.”
How much sunlight do we need to produce Vitamin D?
The NHS doesn’t know exactly how much sunlight we need to get to produce enough vitamin D.
Holland & Barrett recommends that people “expose their forearms, hands, and legs to brief periods of unprotected sun exposure (5 to 30 minutes) between April and the end of September.”6
“The best time to soak up some sunlight is between 11am and 3pm, or any time the sun is shining through your window and making you want to go outside and take a break.”
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What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?
Symptoms to look out for that could indicate a vitamin D deficiency include:
- Malaise
- Bone pain
- Hair removal
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Increased susceptibility to illness
- Pale skin
To aid in recovery, take a daily vitamin D supplement, eat foods rich in the nutrient, and get plenty of sunlight.
