There are two forms of vitamin D – vitamin D2 & vitamin D3 and to remain in good health, it is important to ensure our bodies receive adequate levels of both...Vitamin D2 is ingested from a healthy, balanced diet and can be derived from everyday foods such as: Egg yolks and fatty fish like; trout, mackerel, salmon or tuna, as well as cod liver oil, or fortified milk, juices and cereals.Vitamin D3 however, is most efficiently produced when our skin is exposed to the sun’s UVB radiation. BUT we know that overexposure UV damages our skin cells and can lead to skin cancer, so it’s important to strike the right balance! Environmental and personal factors can greatly affect vitamin D3 production in the skin (meaning there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ level of exposure) but for most, it can be sufficiently produced in around 15-20 minutes of UVB exposure per day - from doses below those, which cause reddening of the skin or sunburn!The problem in the winter months is that synthesis is often inadequate due to lack of UVB radiation and it’s not possible to achieve sufficient levels of vitamin D through diet alone. Therefore, the NHS recommends that we should ALL boost our supply with supplements.Taking vitamin D supplements is safe as long as you stick to the recommended dosage as too much can cause health problems. However, if you have any health conditions, take any other medication or have allergies, it’s important to take advice from your GP first.
