{"id":139133,"date":"2025-09-15T15:03:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T15:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/139133\/"},"modified":"2025-09-15T15:03:11","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T15:03:11","slug":"a-daily-pill-you-need-to-start-taking-now-to-avoid-winter-health-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/139133\/","title":{"rendered":"A daily pill you need to start taking now, to avoid winter health problems"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> HEALTH DOSE: Supplements can help boost vitamin levels when natural sources cannot provide enough (Image: iStockphoto\/ Getty) <\/p>\n<p>Summer may have ended abruptly across the UK, with dark skies and heavy rain replacing sunshine. According to Dr Donald Grant, GP and senior clinical advisor at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theindependentpharmacy.co.uk\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The Independent Pharmacy<\/a>, this sudden shift could deprive people of an essential nutrient.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.inyourarea.co.uk\/news\/taking-vitamin-d-daily-can-cut-cancer-death-risk-by-12\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Vitamin D<\/a> is primarily produced through direct sunlight, and as we head into the colder, less sunny months, many people will struggle to get enough,\u201d he explained. The vitamin plays a crucial role in several areas of health, Dr Grant warned. <\/p>\n<p>It aids calcium absorption to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inyourarea.co.uk\/news\/7-ways-to-strengthen-bones-and-reduce-risk-of-osteoporosis\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">keep bones strong<\/a>, reducing the risk of conditions such as rickets and osteoporosis. It also supports the immune system, helping the body fight off infections, and contributes to muscle function &#8211; with deficiencies potentially leading to weakness and increased risk of falls, particularly in older adults.<\/p>\n<p>MORE ON HEALTH<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLike any essential nutrient, vitamin D supports the body in a number of ways,\u201d Dr Grant said. \u201cWhile most vitamins can be obtained from a balanced diet, vitamin D is the exception because it relies heavily on sunlight. That\u2019s why <a href=\"https:\/\/www.inyourarea.co.uk\/news\/nhs-urges-everyone-to-take-one-daily-vitamin-now-until-march\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">supplements are such a valuable option<\/a> at this time of year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Vitamin D tablets are widely available in supermarkets, pharmacies and online, and cost as little as a few pounds, reports\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/health\/doctor-says-everyone-should-start-35885896\" rel=\"Follow nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the Mirror<\/a>. Dr Grant recommends starting supplementation now to avoid deficiencies as daylight hours continue to decline.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.inyourarea.co.uk\/news\/join-our-new-whatsapp-group-for-a-daily-dose-of-health-?utm_source=inyourarea.co.uk&amp;utm_medium=article&amp;utm_campaign=widget&amp;utm_keyword=wellness&amp;utm_content=article-widget-to-ww-article\/\" style=\"border:none\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" id=\"app\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/wellnesswatch-whatsapppromoapp.png\" alt=\"Obsessed with health? Join our WhatsApp Communit\"\/><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p>He added that some foods, such as oily fish, red meat and egg yolks, are natural dietary sources of vitamin D and can help boost intake. But for most people, especially in the UK\u2019s long winter months, supplements are the most reliable way to maintain healthy levels.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the weather remaining unsettled, it\u2019s important to stay on top of your nutrient intake,\u201d Dr Grant said. \u201cTaking vitamin D now will help protect your health through the months ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>READ NEXT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HEALTH DOSE: Supplements can help boost vitamin levels when natural sources cannot provide enough (Image: iStockphoto\/ Getty) Summer&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":139134,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[102,7106,6636,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-139133","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-health","9":"tag-national","10":"tag-nutrition","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139133\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}