Fatigue, depression… How to supplement with vitamin D in winter?

Vitamin D is necessary for us. It is important for growth in children, maintenance of bone tissue in adults and stimulation of the immune system. “It also has a neuroprotective role and participates in the synthesis of serotonin, the feel-good hormone,” explains naturalist Olivier Panisset. Only the vitamin is synthesized by the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays, and the sun is rare in winter in our latitudes. Therefore, a lack of vitamin D is often the cause of widespread depression in winter.

“Children are always complemented, but adults are often forgotten. However, repeated deficiencies will contribute to colon cancer, osteoporosis and weak immunity,” emphasizes general practitioner Faiza Bossi. “You’d have to live in the south of Sicily to get the right amount of vitamin D,” notes naturalist Olivier Panisset. So what should we do when the south is so far away from us?

Discover yourself in the winter sun

If in autumn we can take advantage of vitamin D reserves that accumulate as a result of summer exposure, then a deficit is hidden from the beginning of winter. To remedy this, you need to expose your arms, hands and face to the slightest ray of sunlight. If they become too rare, food can provide an opportunity to increase intake without filling it completely. “You don’t have to rely on food to fight a deficit, but paying attention to what you eat can help,” says Olivier Panisset. Vitamin D is found in fatty fish such as salmon, dairy products, cod liver oil and some mushrooms such as shiitake.

As for light therapy, while it helps fight seasonal depression and sleep disorders by exposing the retina to intense light, it doesn’t provide vitamin D.

Food additives

Vitamin D3, which is synthesized by the skin, can also be taken as a dietary supplement (in ampoules or capsules). People with darker skin will need more supplements. “The high level of melanin protects them from the sun and makes it difficult to synthesize this vitamin,” explains Olivier Panisset. According to Dr. Faiza Bossi, these populations will need twice as much vitamin D as recommended for fair-skinned people.

Vitamin D supplements are sold in ampoules at drugstores, taken once every three months, capsule supplements are available daily, and are available in organic stores. “I prefer daily doses, because the ampoules contain an extremely high concentration of vitamin D3, and the body cannot metabolize everything at once,” emphasizes the naturopath. The effects of a good vitamin D intake will be felt within a few days. “We will see that we are less sick and in a better mood,” says Olivier Panisset.