The Vitamin You Need All Winter

Winter - with its dark days, cold weather and general need to be wrapped up inside - can be a tough season to get through. There are bugs floating around, and nothing feels as fresh and healthy as it did a few short months ago. One special vitamin that helps to look after us can be in pretty short supply. Vitamin D, which contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to the maintenance normal bones and muscle function, is known as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’, and Vitamin D3 is made by the skin with a reaction with sunlight. Vitamin D contributes to the normal absorption/utilisation of calcium and phosphorus and maintenance of normal calcium concentrations in the blood.

Sensible sun exposure that produces sufficient amounts of Vitamin D is estimated by the World Health Organisation to be about 5 to 15 minutes of casual sun exposure to hands, face and arms two to three times a week during the summer months. However, Vitamin D breaks down quite quickly which means that stores can run quite low. This is doubly so for people that live in northern countries with less sunlight of lower strength, and especially in winter months. It’s easy to see why, living in the UK, the usual source of Vitamin D might be tricky to come by.

One way to top up levels during these darker days is to take a supplement like D3 Max by One Nutrition. It comes in an orange-flavoured spray formula which makes it easy for both adults and children to take it. For enhanced absorption spray under the tongue and hold for 30 seconds before swallowing.

And, if you’re vegan, you’ll be glad to know that the D3 Max formula is based on a unique lichen extract, making it one of the few vegan choices of this essential daily vitamin.