If you’ve been in the cave over the last month, you’ve undoubtedly heard me desperately pleading with many of our clients to start taking a vitamin D supplement. I’m not working as a brand ambassador for a supplement company, nor do I ever recommend a supplement that doesn’t have scientific evidence, so trust me when I say that it is vital to supplement with Vitamin D during the winter months.
In the spring and summer, most people will get the vitamin D they need, as the main source for us is sunlight. The biology won’t be discussed in this blog, but essentially the body creates vitamin D direct from sunlight on the skin when exposed in an outdoor environment.
Vitamin D helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which is critical for bone health, teeth and healthy muscles. A lack of vitamin D can lead to a range of health issues, all of which you want to avoid!
As discuss, sunlight is our main source of vitamin D. The issue that we face is that during the autumn and winter months in the UK, we live in a very dark, cold and almost certainly rainy country! As a result, we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight and therefore require a top up. Whilst we can get vitamin D from some food sources such as oily fish, red meat, some vegetables and fortified products, the amounts vary significantly and often doesn’t met the recommended intake. A combination of seasonal darkness and limited dietary availability means that supplementing with vitamin D is the best way to ensure you avoid deficiencies.
The NHS recommends that adults and children over the age of 4 should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter months.
Don’t worry about having to buy the most expensive brands, a run of the mill vitamin D supplement will do just fine. If you are taking a multivitamin supplement, check the label to ensure it contains vitamin D. As always if you have any questions specific to you, feel free to have a chat with me after your next cave session!
Thanks Josh Henry
Disclaimer: If you have specific health conditions or are unsure if you can safely take vitamin D, seek advice from a healthcare professional.
