by In winter the cold season begins and the immune system works at full capacity. You can read about which vitamins can support the body here.
Vitamins The body needs it not only in winter, but every day. They are involved in several vital processes. However, there are vitamins that can be useful, especially in the cold season. You can read what they are here.
The body especially needs these vitamins in winter
There are a total of four fat-soluble and nine water-soluble vitamins. All of them must be consumed daily through food to provide the body with the nutrients it needs. However, there are four vitamins that are particularly relevant in winter:
Vitamin D in Winter: Why Dietary Supplements Can Be Helpful
Vitamin D is also known as the “sunshine vitamin” because it is produced by the body through UV rays. How many minutes or hours a day you need to spend in the sun to get enough vitamin D depends on many factors. Among other things, the time of year and day. In winter the sun in this country is not as intense as in summer. So you have to spend more time outside to get enough vitamin D. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health provides guidelines for light, medium-light and dark skin types. Here’s the overview:
Light skin types:
| At the end of the morning | Midday | Afternoon | |
| January and December | >4h | 1.5 to 2.5 hours | too little sun to be enough Vitamin D to produce |
| February and November | 2.5 to 3.5 hours | 30 minutes to 1.5 hours | 2 to 3 hours |
Medium Skin Types:
| At the end of the morning | Midday | Afternoon | |
| January and December | >5h | 2 to 7 hours | too little sun to be enough Vitamin D to produce |
| February and November | 3 to 5 hours | 45 minutes to 2.5 hours | too little sun to be enough Vitamin D to produce |
Dark skin types:
| At the end of the morning | Midday | Afternoon | |
| January and December | >7h | too little sun to be enough Vitamin D to produce | too little sun to be enough Vitamin D to produce |
| February and November | 4 to 8 hours | 1.5 hours to 5 hours | too little sun to be enough Vitamin D to produce |
As can be seen from the tables, it is difficult to get enough vitamin D daily in January and December, even for fair skin. According to the RKI, the body can use its vitamin D reserves in fat and muscle tissue in winter. However, it becomes problematic if these storage facilities are not full enough, even in summer. There could be several reasons for this, as weather also plays an important role in vitamin D production in summer. Illnesses such as gastrointestinal inflammation or certain medications can also make it difficult to absorb vitamin D.
If you want to know more about your vitamin D stores, you can have a blood test with your doctor. However, the health insurer will only cover the costs if a defect is suspected. A good vitamin D level is between 30 and 40 nanograms per milliliter. If you have less, consider supplementing vitamin D with tablets in the winter. The solar vitamin is hardly contained in food. Fatty fish and mushrooms, among other things, can contribute to winter supplies.
Vitamin C in winter – does this make sense?
The best-known vitamin is vitamin C. It protects cells from oxidative stress and supports the immune and nervous systems. It is always recommended to take vitamin C, especially in winter, as the vitamin is said to help treat colds. Opinions on this point are divided among experts. The Cochrane research network evaluated 29 studies on the topic and came to the conclusion that prolonged intake of vitamin C can reduce the duration of colds by 8% in adults and 14% in children. But the dosage is important: according to the DGE, the daily requirement for adults is 95 (women) and 110 (men) milligrams per day. This value can be easily achieved through foods that contain vitamin C, such as peppers or broccoli. Although the body excretes excess vitamin C through urine, vitamin C poisoning can occur at very high doses.
Why vitamins A and E can be useful in winter
Vitamin A and E are fat-soluble vitamins and can be stored by the body. Vitamin A is essential for the visual process, during Vitamin E which can protect cells from oxidative stress. In a 2020 observational study, researchers from England found that people with a good intake of vitamin A and vitamin E were less likely to suffer from respiratory illnesses. As Professor Caroline Stokes, from the Humboldt University of Berlin, tells us upon request, the study does not prove that vitamins A and E prevent respiratory diseases, but they are, however, associated with a lower risk of getting sick. Especially in the cold season, it makes sense to ensure that you sufficiently meet your daily needs for vitamins A and E through your diet. A food that provides the body with a particularly high amount of vitamin A is, for example, carrots.
What vitamins do children need in winter?
Children need the same vitamins as adults, although the daily requirement is much lower. In winter, parents should make sure their children get enough B vitamins, as they support the immune system, among other things. Vitamin D is also particularly important for children because it is essential for bone growth. Whether additional intake in winter makes sense should be discussed with your pediatrician.
Winter fatigue: can vitamins help?
Fatigue can have several reasons. Sometimes there is also a nutrient deficiency behind it. There are some vitamins that have been proven to help reduce fatigue. These are:
According to the health insurer Barmer, the body produces more melatonin, especially in winter. The messenger substance is also known as sleep hormone. Although it helps us sleep, it can make you feel tired more quickly than usual in winter.
