What’s the best vitamin D supplement for your needs?
Ayesha Muttucumaru
Health Hub
Reading time: 8 minutes
From tablets to drops & sprays, here’s how to go about choosing a vitamin D supplement that works best for you – plus everything you need to know about the ‘sunshine vitamin’
When it comes to shopping for supplements, the choice has never been greater. However, it can be tricky to know which ones you could actually benefit from incorporating into your daily routine.
Vitamin D supplements are among the most popular – and government recommended too, especially in the autumn and winter months – but which one is right for you? Here, we take a closer look at why this vitamin is so important, what the best food sources are and break down the benefits of seeking out a supplement to fit your needs.
What is vitamin D & why is it important?
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that the body needs in order to absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones, muscles and teeth.
In the UK, 1 in 6 adults and almost 20% of children have vitamin D levels lower than government recommendations (with older adults, those from Black and South Asian backgrounds and the housebound particularly affected).
A lack of vitamin D can cause a deficiency, which may lead to bones becoming weaker and softer, poor muscle strength and conditions such as rickets in children, and a type of bone condition called osteomalacia in adults.
What are the best sources of vitamin D?
The body creates vitamin D mainly by the skin’s exposure to direct sunlight when outdoors.
From late March/early April to early September, it’s thought that the majority of people in the UK should be able to make all of the vitamin D that they need from being out in the sun for short periods of time, exposing their forearms, lower legs or face.
That being said, skin tone and how much skin is uncovered can affect how much vitamin D the body is able to make. For example, those with dark skin, such as people of African, African-Caribbean or South Asian origin, may not be able to make the same amount of vitamin D in a given time as someone with lighter skin.
It's also important to find a balance between helping the body produce vitamin D and sun safety, in order to help protect skin from sun damage. What qualifies as a short period of time? One Cancer Research UK-funded study indicated that it may be shorter than we think, estimating that nine minutes of lunchtime sun each day could be enough for those with a lighter skin tone, before sun safety becomes an issue. However, it was far from clear-cut and more research is needed in this area – particularly around those with darker skin tones.
Sunlight isn’t the only source of vitamin D, however. Levels can also be topped up through certain foods and with the help of a vitamin D supplement.
In the UK, 1 in 6 adults and almost 20% of children have vitamin D levels lower than government recommendations
What foods provide vitamin D?
Sources of vitamin D include oily fish, red meat, liver and egg yolks. Fortified foods such as some breakfast cereals, fat spreads and non-dairy milk alternatives also have vitamin D added to them.
How much vitamin D do you need per day?
For children over the age of one year and adults (including pregnant and breastfeeding women and those at risk of vitamin D deficiency), government guidelines recommend a daily vitamin D intake of 10 micrograms (μg) (or 400IU).
For babies up to the age of one year, the recommendation is 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day.
Between late September and early March, sunlight isn’t strong enough for the body to produce vitamin D
What are the benefits of taking a vitamin D supplement?
Between late September and early March, sunlight isn’t strong enough for the body to produce vitamin D. So vitamin D from food sources is the next best thing. However, it can be difficult to get sufficient levels through diet alone, which is where supplements come in.
The government recommends that all adults and children over the age of four years old consider taking a daily supplement with 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter months, to help protect their bone and muscle health.
However, there are certain groups who should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms all year round. This is because they may be more prone to vitamin D deficiency than others.
Groups who might be more likely to develop vitamin D deficiency include:
● People who don’t have much exposure to sunlight
● People who have dark skin
● People who normally wear clothes that cover up their skin when they’re outside
It’s worth bearing in mind that some people may have medical conditions that mean they're not able to safely take as much vitamin D as others, and so, if in doubt, always check with a GP.
Taking a daily vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms throughout the year is also recommended for children between the ages of one and four years old.
For babies under the age of one, the recommendation is to take a daily supplement containing 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D all year round if they’re breastfed, or formula-fed and having less than 500ml of infant formula (which is already fortified with vitamin D) a day.
What is the best type of vitamin D to take? (D2 or D3)
Dietary supplements can contain either vitamin D2 or vitamin D3. What are the main differences? Vitamin D2 is made using ergosterol in yeast, while vitamin D3 is usually made using lanolin from the wool of sheep, or lichen – for an animal-free alternative.
It’s been found that both are well absorbed by the gut and are good options to consider, but there has been research to show that vitamin D3 can lead to greater levels of vitamin D that can be maintained for longer.
Vitamin D3 is also NICE’s (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) type of choice for treating vitamin D deficiency.
What types of vitamin D supplements are available?
From drops to gummies and sprays to tablets, the great news is that there are a variety of different formats to choose from.
Here are seven vitamin D supplements to consider exploring. As with any supplement, before you consider taking any of these please speak to a GP or pop in store for a chat with the Boots Pharmacy team if you have any questions, especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, taking any medication or have any medical conditions. Food supplements do not replace the need for a healthy, balanced diet.
Vitamin D tablets
Consider: Boots Everyday Vitamin D
• Size: 240 tablets
• Each tablet contains 10 µg of vitamin D3
• Suitable for adults and children aged 12 years and over using the syringe provided
• Free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives
• Lactose-free
• Vegetarian-friendly
Containing 240 once-a-day tablets, this super-size pick should help keep your vitamin D stores stocked up for a while. Containing around an eight month’s supply, they’re lactose-free and suitable for vegetarians, too.
Consider: Boots Vegan Vitamin D3
• Size: 90 tablets
• Each tablet contains 25 µg of vitamin D3
• Suitable for adults and children 12 years and over
• Free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives
• Lactose-free
• Vegan-friendly
While most food sources of vitamin D3 are from animals, this one is plant-sourced, so worth considering if you follow a vegan diet.
Vitamin D drops
Consider: Baby Ddrops Liquid Vitamin D3
• Size: 60 drops (1.7ml)
• Each serving contains 10 µg of vitamin D3
• Suitable for infants and young children
• No preservatives, artificial flavours or colouring
Specifically created for breastfed babies, these drops provide great flexibility. Either drop on to the nipple, a washed finger or pacifier and allow your baby to suck for at least 30 seconds. You can also mix a drop in with food or drink.
Consider: Ddrops One Liquid Vitamin D3
• Size: 60 drops (1.7ml)
• Each serving contains 10 µg of vitamin D3
• Suitable for adults and children aged over 1 year
• No preservatives, artificial flavours or colouring
If you’re not a fan of tablets, these drops containing 10 µg of vitamin D3 could be worth considering. Add to food or drinks or simply lick a drop off a spoon – it couldn’t be easier.
Vitamin D gummies
Consider: Boots Vitamin D 30 Gummies
• Size: 30 gummies
• Each gummy contains 25 µg of vitamin D3
• Suitable for adults and children 12 years and over
• Free from artificial colours, flavours and preservatives
• Lactose-free
• Blackcurrant flavour
Another tablet-free alternative, these blackcurrant-flavoured gummies provide a tasty way to add vitamin D into your diet.
Consider: Vitabiotics Wellkid Peppa Pig Vitamin D
• For ages three to seven years
• Size: 30 soft jellies
• Each jelly contains 10 µg of vitamin D3
• Suitable for children three to seven years
• Free of preservatives and synthetic colours
• Vegan-friendly
With their strawberry flavour and Peppa Pig shape, these brightly coloured jellies make taking vitamins a far more pleasant prospect for younger ones.
Vitamin D sprays
Consider: BetterYou D1000 Vitamin D Daily Oral Spray
• Size: 100 daily doses (15ml)
• Each spray contains 25 µg of vitamin D3
• Suitable for adults and children aged 8 years and above
• Natural peppermint flavour
• Gluten-free
• Vegetarian-friendly
If you’re not a fan of swallowing tablets – not a problem. All you have to do is spray this vitamin D on the inside of your cheek. It also doesn’t need to be taken with food or water, for extra ease.
