Do I Need to Take Vitamin Supplements?

Folic acid

Folic acid is a kind of vitamin B and is a recommended supplement for women who are trying to get pregnant or are pregnant. You should be taking them regularly before pregnancy and when you do become pregnant, the NHS recommends that you take 400 micrograms of folic acid supplements every day until you hit the 12-week mark.

Folic acid helps to prevent birth defects, and a woman needs enough of it in her body whilst she is pregnant (or ideally before) to prevent any major defects of the brain and spine causing conditions like spina bifida.

Foods that contain folic acid are dark green leafy vegetables, peanuts, various types of beans, wholegrain and pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

You can have low levels of folic acid in your body if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Planning to get pregnant
• In your first trimester of pregnancy
• You have Crohn’s or Coeliac disease (or any other disease that compromises digestion)
• Elderly
• Consume high levels of alcohol

Vitamin B12 Supplements

We need B12 within our bodies as it plays a big role in keeping our blood and nerve cells healthy, is vital for DNA synthesis and supports bone health. It has a range of benefits from improving your memory to boosting energy levels. B12 cannot be produced on its own within our bodies, but is gained from foods such as dairy products, eggs, meat and other poultry.

There are a few factors that can cause B12 deficiency:

• A plant based or vegan diet
• Crohn’s or Coeliac disease (or any other disease that comprises your digestion)
• Anaemia
• Taking certain medications affect the absorption of B12 such as heartburn medications, H2 blockers and some diabetes medication such as metformin

Vitamin C Supplements

Vitamin C helps in our body by protecting healthy cells, skin, blood vessels, bones and cartilage as well as being a beneficial factor in healing wounds. It is important to remember that vitamin C cannot be stored within our bodies, so you do need to take some form of it every day. Whether this is through food or supplements depends entirely on your diet. If you eat a balanced, healthy diet, you should be able to obtain all the vitamin C that your body needs. Foods that contain vitamin C are citrus fruits such as oranges, peppers, potatoes, broccoli and blackcurrants.

You may be low in vitamin C if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Consume large amounts of alcohol
• Are a smoker
• Poor or restricted diets
• Have an eating disorder
• Have irritable bowel disorder (IBD)
• Have type 1 diabetes

Vitamin D Supplements

During late March/early April to the end of September, our bodies are able to get enough vitamin D to help retain calcium and phosphorus, which are vital in building strong and healthy bones. In the winter, it can be difficult to get enough vitamin D to do this due to a lack of sunlight and cold weather, keeping people inside more than usual. It is recommended that in these colder months, you should consider taking a daily supplement containing at least 10 micrograms a day. You can also get vitamin D in food such as oily and fatty fish like salmon, trout, sardines, eggs, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods like breakfast cereals.

1 in 6 adults have lower vitamin D levels than recommended and be caused by the following:

• Not often outdoors – due to frailness, poor health, housebound etc.
• Wear clothing that covers most of your body when outdoors
• Have darker skin
• Poor or restricted diets

 Iron

Iron provides many beneficial factors to our body, including oxygenating the blood, converting blood sugar to energy, boosting the immune system and supporting healthy skin, hair and nails. You can find iron in foods such as red meat or any type of darker poultry meat, different types of beans, lentils, nuts, dried food and fortified breakfast cereals. High doses of iron can cause serious problems so it is critical that you take less than 17mg daily unless advised otherwise.

You may be low in iron if you are enduring any of the following:

• Are menstruating
• Pregnant
• Have conditions like irritable bowel disease (IBD) or coeliac disease
• Poor or restricted diets

Calcium

Calcium aids in our body in building bones, keeping our teeth healthy, regulating muscle contractions such as our heartbeat and making sure that blood clots normally. Sources of calcium include dairy foods like cheese, milk, yoghurts, green leafy vegetables, fortified plant-based milk alternatives, dried fruits and fish where the bone is consumed like sardines. A lack of calcium could lead to rickets in children which causes bone pain, poor growth and weak bones or osteoporosis in adults which weakens bones, making them fragile and easy to break.

You may have low calcium levels in your body if you suffer with the following:

• Have a milk allergy or are lactose intolerant
• Post menopausal
• Poor/restricted diets
• High performing female athletes
• Follow a plant based diet

For more healthy diet advice, check out our foods that lower inflammation blog.