Vitamin D, am I taking the right kind And will it keep me out of hospital, received from saga, 2026 02 08

[Colin Howard]

Greetings,

I ought to take a daily supplement, I have loads of tablets, they are large
lemon flavoured, have a kind of chalky feel and are specified as "chewable
tablets, I had them first in hospital and encouraged to take two around
lunch time. I admit to not having taken them regularly since leaving
hospital in May 2024, I am not aware of having any vitamin D deficiency,
managed last year to be out in sunshine a fair time most days. So far, this
year seems not to have furnished much sun shine.

Note the reference to skin colour, I am aware some classed as white also
need be careful concerning sun shine, such as albinos or those who have red
hair of varying shades, all of whom may lack a facility in their natural
skin to safely absorb ultra-violet rays, I believe the missing factor is
known as menolin.

Authirs write:
We explain the difference between D2 and D3, whether liquids are better than
tablets and if a higher dose is always better.
By Jo Waters | Published - 4 Feb 2026

Vitamin D is crucial for good health, including building strong bones and
muscles, as well as maintaining a robust immune system. But surveys suggest,
one in 10 people over the age of 65 in the UK are vitamin D deficient.

"We don't have enough sunlight in the UK during the winter months for our
bodies to make enough vitamin D," says Susan Lanham-New, professor of human
nutrition at the University of Surrey and a leading authority on the
vitamin.

In the six months between October and March in the UK, the sun's angle is
too low for UVB rays to break through the atmosphere effectively.

"The best way of telling whether you're in the right sunlight or not is
checking your shadow is shorter than your height, which it is between April
and September. But in the winter, even if it's a sunny day, your shadow will
be double your height, so that means you won't be getting enough sunlight
for your body to make vitamin D," says Professor Lanham-New.

Do I need a vitamin D supplement?

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recommends a 10mcg daily
supplement for everyone aged four years and over between October and March.

Some people, such as those living in care homes or those who don't go out
much and cover up when they do and people who have darker Asian or Black
skin, are advised to consider taking a supplement all year round.

Are older people more at risk of vitamin D deficiency?

"The evidence does not show convincingly that the skin becomes less
efficient at making vitamin D as we get older," says Professor Lanham-New.

"It's just older people sometimes go out less and feel the cold more, so
they tend to cover up more when they do go out and so reduce their direct
sun exposure on the skin."

Older people's tendency to cover up when they go out reduces their exposure
to sunlight

Why do we need vitamin D?

Vitamin D is vital for maintaining bone health and muscle strength. It does
this by regulating levels of calcium and phosphorus.

It plays a role in activating white blood cells in the body's immune system,
too, helping us to fight infections.

There's also some evidence vitamin D can help with some mental health
conditions, including cognitive decline and low mood, says Priya Tew, a
registered dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.

"Fatigue is also common in winter and can be a symptom of low levels of
vitamin D," she explains.

Low levels of vitamin D are linked to higher hospital admissions

A new study led by the University of Surrey and published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition in January 2026 found people with a severe
vitamin D deficiency were 33% more likely to be admitted to hospital with
respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis.

The study was based on data from the UK Biobank and found, for each 10
nmol/l increase in vitamin D levels, hospitalisation rates for respiratory
infections dropped by 4%.

"Vitamin D is vital to our physical well being," says Abi Bournot, lead
author of the study and a PhD researcher in nutritional immunology at the
University of Surrey.

"Not only does it keep our bones and muscles healthy, but its antibacterial
and antiviral properties are also thought to reduce the risk of respiratory
tract infections which can lead to hospitalisation.

"Taking a vitamin D supplement, especially in the winter months when our
exposure to sunlight is limited, is an effective way of reducing the risk of
serious respiratory tract infections.

"This is particularly important for older people who are at higher risk of
death from such infections and ethnic-minority communities in the UK, who
are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency."

Bournot says, vitamin D has also been shown to reduce inflammation in the
body: "Too much inflammation in the body could lead to more severe
respiratory infections, so it's thought vitamin D could be beneficial for
this reason, too."

What type of vitamin D supplement is best?

There are two types of vitamin D supplement, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and
vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), but research has shown vitamin D3 is much more
readily absorbed by the body.

D3 is the form your skin makes from sunlight and is also found in meat. D2
comes from plant fungal sources such as mushrooms exposed to UVB light and
yeast and is suitable for vegans.

"The molecular structure of vitamin D3 seems to mean the body can make much
better use of it, but both D3 and D2 will increase your vitamin D levels,"
says Professor Lanham-New.

"Some studies have found D2 may also blunt the effectiveness of circulating
D3."

Vitamin D3 is more readily absorbed by the body

Are tablets better than sprays or liquid supplements?

"There isn't any difference in effectiveness between sprays, tablets or
liquids when it comes to supplements," says Professor Lanham-New.

"It really just comes down to your personal preferences and what's easiest
for you to take. The important thing is you take it.

"A study led by Dr Pamela Magee from the University of Ulster in Northern
Ireland showed oral sprays were as effective as tablets."

Can't I get vitamin D from my diet?

"Although vitamin D is also found in certain foods, such as oily fish, egg
yolks, liver, mushrooms and fortified foods (such as orange juice and
breakfast cereals), it's very difficult to get enough from diet alone," says
Tew.

"It's one of the few situations where we wouldn't recommend a food-first
approach to tackling a vitamin deficiency."

Professor Lanham-New adds: "Even with a diet rich in oily fish, you'd still
only get around 3 to 5mcg a day, which is way short of the 10mcg daily
amount recommended.

"This might be possible in the future if we fortified more foods with
vitamin D, as countries such as Finland do, but at the moment this isn't
happening enough in the UK."

What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?

Professor Lanham-New says vitamin D deficiency in older people can cause a
condition called osteomalacia, an adult version of rickets where bones
become soft and painful.

Symptoms of osteomalacia include lower back pain, pain in the shoulder,
ribs, pelvis or legs, muscle pain and weakness, plus a waddling gait.

You might also notice difficulties climbing stairs or getting out of a chair
because of muscle weakness.

Tingling, cramping and twitching of muscles is another symptom.

"We think there are millions of people with mild osteomalacia in the winter
months in the UK alone," says Professor Lanham-New.

"The symptoms include bone pain, muscle ache, lethargy and tiredness, all of
which are worse in the winter, as well as catching more infections.

"These are symptoms of vitamin D deficiency and can be treated with
supplementation by your doctor, at a higher level at first to restore normal
levels."

Frequent fractures due to the fragile bone condition osteoporosis may also
be linked to low vitamin D levels.

Leg pain can be a symptom of osteomalacia

Can you have too much vitamin D and what are the dangers?

The upper safe limit for daily intake of vitamin D is 100mcg. "Mega doses of
vitamin D are not needed," explains Professor Lanham-New. "What you are
trying to do is just avoid being deficient.

"Taking high doses can cause too much calcium to build up in the body, which
can weaken bones and damage the kidneys and heart. For most people, taking
10mcg a day is enough and safe."

If I wear sunscreen all the time, will it stop me making vitamin D?

"The latest advice is it's safe for adults to have 15 to 20 minutes of
unprotected sun exposure a day (without suncream), with 10 to 20% of your
body exposed, between April and September, without burning, in order for
your skin to make vitamin D in spring and summer," says Professor
Lanham-New.

"But if you have a history of skin cancer, don't do this, just take a
vitamin D supplement in the summer as well as in winter."

Can I get vitamin D supplements on NHS prescription?

Guidance from NHS England to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in 2024 advised
vitamin D supplements shouldn't be prescribed routinely on the NHS to
prevent deficiency.

However, supplements can be prescribed to people with vitamin D deficiency,
including those who've had surgery for malabsorption due to chronic
conditions or for the management of osteoporosis.

Supplements are fairly inexpensive to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets,
90 x 10mcg D3 tablets cost £2.75 from Boots.

Written by: Jo Waters

Jo Waters is an award-winning health and medical journalist who writes for
national newspapers, consumer magazines and medical websites.
She is the author of four health books, including What's Up with Your Gut?
and is a former chair of the Guild of Health Writers.


Colin Howard, living in Southern England.