In the UK, a vitamin D deficiency is fairly common. Considering the sun is our main natural source, there are only a few months a year where we see enough of it to actually get a healthy dose. And anyway, the sun isn’t necessarily good for our skin — if you don’t yet use a facial SPF daily, this is your cue to start — so basking in the UV rays isn’t the smartest way to harvest the vital vitamin.

But the science is pretty clear: our skin requires UV rays to produce vitamin D. Research from the University of Manchester has found that “daily sunlight exposure for 10 to 15 minutes between April and September provides sufficient year-round vitamin D while also minimising the risks of sunburn and skin cancer.” (And, no, before you ask: booking a sunbed to supercharge your levels is more dangerous than helpful.)

Since the UK’s weather is unpredictable at best and miserably rainy at worst, it’s not always possible to get even 10 or 15 minutes of sun. It’s no wonder, then, that a lot of people need to up their intake. “It has been established that almost one billion people worldwide have low levels of vitamin D,” says a 2023 study by medical tech company Vitall. “Approximately 20 per cent of the population in the UK have a vitamin D deficiency [and] 60 per cent of the population are considered as having insufficient levels.”

Thankfully, it is possible to get enough vitamin D through other means. According to the NHS, foods with high levels include oily fish like salmon or sardines, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods like butter and breakfast cereal. As with most vitamins, direct dietary supplements are also an option.

That said, it can be hard to work out what’s right for you. So, we’ve pulled together some top tips for getting your vitamin D, including symptoms to watch, and supplement recommendations.

What are the benefits of vitamin D?

Vitamin D’s main job in the body is to help regulate the levels of calcium and phosphate; nutrients which are needed for bones, teeth and muscles, not to mention many other cellular functions in your body.

“Vitamin D plays different important roles in your body,” continues the Vitall report. “It promotes calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, regulates your calcium and phosphate blood levels, acts on bone mineralization, growth, and remodelling, reduces inflammation, and modulates cell growth, neuromuscular function, and immunity.”

This also has an impact on your skin, with vitamin D helping to maintain a skin barrier through a strong immune function and helping to fend off inflammatory conditions like acne. In other words, vitamin D can do a lot.

What are the symptoms of low vitamin D?

“Vitamin D deficiency can be tricky to spot since its symptoms are often vague or mild. Many people might not notice them at all,” says Dr Sepideh Etemad-Shahidi, an aesthetics specialist at Doctor Tatiana + Rishi, “Common signs include feeling unusually tired or experiencing aches in your muscles or bones, especially in the lower back or legs. You might find that you get sick more often or take longer to bounce back from an illness, as vitamin D is crucial for a strong immune system. Mood changes, such as feeling down or irritable, and even increased hair loss can also occur. In more serious cases, you may experience more frequent bone fractures or pain when you move.”

However there are physical symptoms you can keep an eye out for, too. “Whilst low vitamin D levels may not manifest themselves directly in the skin, it is an important vitamin for skin barrier function,” says Dr. Thivi Maruthappu, a qualified dermatologist and nutritionist, “Low levels can therefore contribute to dry, irritated skin, breakouts and acne, rosacea and conditions such as eczema and dandruff.”