Health expert Dr Michael Mosley, who sadly passed away this year, was always ready to share his wisdom on nutrition and healthy living. During a Q&A session on Mumsnet last year, the author of ‘Just One Thing’ tackled a variety of queries.
When asked about the necessity of supplements, he had a straightforward recommendation, stating that there’s one supplement he believed “almost everyone” in the UK should be taking all year round. A Mumsnet user asked: “A quick question from me: Is there a need to take supplements, or is it possible to get all necessary vitamins and minerals from one’s diet, and still keep a healthy weight? Also, to what extent is the need for supplements dependent on age, being vegetarian or vegan, or other factors?”
She added: “I am late 60 and take a multi-vitamin, calcium, Vitamin D most days, plus zinc, magnesium, Vitamin B12 when I remember. (I eat mostly vegetables and protein, plus healthy fats and complex carbs.) Am I doing the right thing?”
In response, Michael highlighted the importance of vitamin D, particularly for those residing in the UK. He said: “It is an interesting question. The NHS recommends that almost everyone in the UK should be taking vitamin D between October and March, and those with a darker skin should be taking it year round.”
Vitamin D is crucial as it regulates the calcium and phosphate levels in our bodies. We obtain it from direct sunlight and a few foods like oily fish, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods.
In the warmer and lighter months, the NHS states that most individuals should be able to produce sufficient vitamin D from the sun. However, this isn’t the case from October to early March.
The NHS advises: “During the autumn and winter, you need to get vitamin D from your diet because the sun is not strong enough for the body to make vitamin D. But since it’s difficult for people to get enough vitamin D from food alone, everyone (including pregnant and breastfeeding women) should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D during the autumn and winter.”
NHS guidance also supports Michael’s response on another issue, stating that individuals with dark skin may not produce enough vitamin D from sunlight, such as those from African, African-Caribbean or south Asian backgrounds.
Another group need to take extra care when it comes to getting enough vitamin D – vegans. Dr Mosley said: “Vegans need to take B12 because they may not be getting it from their diet, but people over the age of 50 can also become deficient because we get worse at absorbing it. Milk, eggs and salmon are good sources.”
He also said for older women, such as the one who asked the question, he emphasised the importance of sufficient calcium intake. He said: “Calcium is another mineral you need to be sure you are getting enough of because osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) becomes much more common as we get older. But if you supplement, don’t overdo it as it can cause stomach pain.”