While the weather might not seem like it, spring is around the corner, with the colourful season officially starting on March 20.
The change of seasons could mean your body might need different vitamins and supplements.
Although the warmer months are usually marked by fresher foods, a dietitian still recommended re-evaluating “the right” vitamins and minerals you might need to boost your health.
Dr Carrie Ruxton, dietitian and advisor to the Health and Food Supplements Information Service, said: “With the first signs of spring, our thoughts often turn to health and fitness, especially whether we’re getting the right levels of vitamins and minerals from our diets.
“Out goes stodgy winter food and in comes fresh salads, fruit and stir fries. But, even if you’re doing well on nutrition most of the time, it’s still worth considering topping up with a vitamin and mineral supplement such as a multivitamin and multimineral supplement as certain foods have few natural nutrient sources.”
The expert recommended considering the following five vitamins.
1.Vitamin D
The Government advises everyone to take the popular supplement during autumn and winter, but the expert shared there is evidence that you should take vitamin D all year round.
Dr Ruxton said: “Depending on the time of year, up to four out of ten British adults and around a third of teenagers are clinically deficient. This is due to several reasons including a lack of natural vitamin D sources in the diet (basically oily fish and eggs) and fewer people having regular access to summer sunshine in the UK.
“Sunblock, SPF make-up and covering up the skin – all reduce exposure to vitamin D which is why some ethnic minority groups are at greater risk of being vitamin D deficient.”
2.Folic acid
Needed during pregnancy to support normal foetal development and during later life to slow cognitive decline, folate is found in foods like liver, green leafy vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals.
While the daily recommendation is 200 micrograms, or 400 micrograms when planning a pregnancy, government surveys now reveal that a shocking 90 percent of women are deficient in folate during their child-bearing years and there has been a steady decline in folate status since 2008.
“This will only result in more babies being at risk from spina bifida,” Dr Ruxton said.
3.Vitamin B12
Most children and adults get enough vitamin B12 from their diet, as long as they are eating a variety of animal-based foods, such as meat, poultry, fish and eggs. However, the rise in plant-based and vegan diets has put thousands of people at risk of deficiency, according to the dietician.
Therefore, she recommended that people who follow these diets should take a B12 supplement or use nutritional yeast in their meals.
Dr Ruxton added that elderly people also need more vitamin B12 as they have less of an “intrinsic factor”, a protein in the stomach which helps the body to absorb vitamin B12.
“Older people should consider supplementing with B complex, not just because of lower absorption but because studies have found that additional B vitamins help slow cognitive decline,” the expert said.
4.Other B vitamins
Needed for normal hair, nails, energy release and hormone regulation, vitamins B1, B2, B6 and biotin all have vital roles in the body.
While you should be getting enough if you are eating a balanced, varied diet that contains meat, fish, eggs, beans and dairy foods, women can benefit from additional B6 if they are experiencing symptoms around the menstrual cycle or menopause, the dietician explained.
5.Vitamin C
Everyone who is eating their five-a-day should be getting enough vitamin C, but the expert warned that the trouble is that a quarter of UK adults and a worrying nine out of ten children are nowhere near this.
Dr Ruxton added: “Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and drinking a daily glass of orange juice, will provide enough vitamin C.
“But, while the recommended vitamin C intake is 80mg, higher intakes of around 500-1000mg for seven to 10 days have been found to reduce the duration of colds and these are best achieved with a supplement, particularly one that also contains zinc.”
