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A prominent pharmacist has issued a serious warning that millions may be losing out on the benefits of their vitamin D supplements by not taking them correctly. Many in the UK are purchasing vitamin D supplements, following recommendations from healthcare experts and influencers like the late Michael Mosley.
Most of our vitamin D comes from the process of our skin interacting with sunlight, a process that is greatly reduced during autumn and winter. This is when sunshine is limited, and people tend to spend more time indoors or dress warmly to combat the cold.
Vitamin D is essential for keeping bones healthy, strengthening the immune system, aiding muscle function, boosting mood, reducing inflammation, and maintaining heart health. However, not taking your supplements properly could mean wasted money and risk to your health.
Jana Abelovska, Superintendent Pharmacist at Click Pharmacy, explained: “The ideal way to get vitamin D is through your diet, along with supplements like tablets, capsules, gummies, or sprays used directly in the mouth. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning it is absorbed into the body with fat. Therefore, taking your vitamin D supplement with foods containing healthy fats, like nuts or yogurt, will enhance absorption.
“For adults aged 19 to 70, the recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 15 mcg, equivalent to 600 IU, a unit for measuring vitamins. Taking vitamin D supplements is very common, especially since many people don’t get enough from sunlight or food alone. Dietary sources include oily fish, mushrooms, and eggs, as well as some fortified foods like breakfast cereals and milk or plant-based alternatives.”
“It’s unsafe to try to increase vitamin D from the sun by foregoing sun protection. Our bodies generate vitamin D from UVB radiation from the sun, but most windows block UVB rays. Thus, sitting indoors in sunlight doesn’t raise vitamin D levels. Also, using a tanning bed is ineffective for increasing vitamin D since they emit more UVA than UVB rays and heighten skin cancer risk.”
“Don’t take too much vitamin D. Because it’s a fat soluble vitamin it can build up in your body easier than other vitamins. Taking too much vitamin D long term can lead to hypercalcemia, an excess of calcium in the body, which can cause problems with your heart, kidneys and bones. 4,000 IU or 100 mcg is considered to be the upper limit of safe vitamin D supplementation.”
