Ashok Gupta explains why people in northern latitudes are likely vitamin D deficient: the sun sits too low in winter to trigger synthesis in skin. He recommends 2000 international units daily year-round, plus safe sun exposure and bright lamps to support mood and immune function.
2000 international units per day.
Now, most people in the northern hemisphere don't have enough vitamin D in their bodies, which can impact on our mood, our immune system. Now, I live in London, where, you know it's summer because the drizzle is a bit warmer. So trust me when I say this is a topic close to my heart. In fact, in the uk, if the forecast says, oh, we've only got light rain, we think it's time for a barbecue.
Vitamin D, which is anti inflammatory, is synthesized in the body when our skin is exposed to direct sunlight. And researchers now believe that the reason we feel low in winter and we have more infections is because of less exposure to sun. Before the modern era, we spent most of our time outdoors in nature.
Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin and I would encourage you to expose your skin and sunbathe wherever you can. Now, please note that discuss this with your doctor to find out what a safe level of exposure actually is for your type of skin. Because people with very pale skin can burn easily. The darker your skin, the more sun exposure you will actually need.
The sun is not high enough in the sky during the winter months in very northern latitudes, so we can't synthesize vitamin D for around half the year, depending on where we live. Therefore, a supplement that you take all year round is very useful. Let's say 2000 international units of vitamin D per day. Obviously, in consultation with your doctor and if you're able to, it would be useful to take more holidays during the winter months and expose your skin to the sun in a safe way.
Not only is vitamin D important, but also the effects of light. Light regulates our hormone cycles, so if you feel you're not getting enough bright light in winter, there are bright lamps that you can buy to boost your mood and help regulate those cycles. Obviously, the best way is just to get outside into nature as much as possible.
