Vitamins

Most people do not need to take vitamin supplements and can get all the vitamins and minerals they need by eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium and vitamin C, are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly. Many people choose to take supplements but taking too many, or taking them for too long, could be harmful.

There are national recommended dietary allowances for vitamins for adults, pregnant women and children. This is often shown as the ‘RDA’ on the side of the container they are sold in, where the amount of vitamin is usually reported as a percentage. Vitamin D supplement:

From around late March until the end of September, most people can get all the vitamin D they need through sunlight on their skin and from eating a balanced diet.

However, during the autumn and winter, you need to get vitamin D from your diet, because the sun is not strong enough for your body to make vitamin D.

Because it’s difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.

People who are not often exposed to the sun – such as those who are housebound, live in an institution like a care home, or usually wear clothes that cover most of their skin when outdoors – should take a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D. Ten micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D a day between October and early March is recommended to keep your bones and muscles healthy.

There have been some reports about vitamin D reducing the risk of COVID-19. However, there is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D to prevent or treat COVID-19.

Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body (hypercalcaemia). This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.

Do not take more than 100 micrograms (4,000 IU) of vitamin D a day, as it could be harmful. This applies to adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 to 17 years. Find out more about vitamins:

You can read more about vitamins on the NHS website.

Pregnant women and young children can also get free vitamins through the national Healthy Start Voucher Scheme. You can find out more about how to access this on the Healthy Start website

Warning

If you have any medical conditions, you must seek advice from your doctor before taking any supplements.