Vitamin D For Colds: How Can It Help Us Fight The Flu?

Roxanne Griggs

Public Health Nutritionist (ANutr) / Posted on

When you think about boosting your immune system vitamin C might be the first thing that comes to mind. But actually, there is also vitamin D for colds, which can help to keep us fighting fit all year round.

Vitamin D For Colds

We often suffer from a cold when our immune system is run down. It could be due to a time of stress or tiredness or it could be because we aren’t getting the right nutrients.

70% of us get at least one cold a year. Of these people, the BBC claim that “Vitamin D supplements could spare more than three million from colds each year.” That’s because vitamin D is one nutrient that our immune system needs to function. According to the NHS, “vitamin D is part of a complex process in which our body becomes ‘primed’ to fight infection.”

Sources Of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin. Our body makes it in the skin when exposed to sunlight, which helps to keep our bones, teeth, and muscles strong. (1) It’s a vitamin that our body needs to stay healthy, so what happens when there isn’t a lot of sun, i.e. what happens if you live in the UK? We each need 10mg of vitamin D every day. But Public Health England say we’re not getting it. In fact, at least 25% of us have insufficient levels of vitamin D.

Although we make vitamin D ourselves, we can increase our levels a little by eating certain foods.

Oily fish, like Trout, Salmon, and Mackerel
Mushrooms
Tofu
Pork
Eggs

However, these foods only contain a very small about of vitamin D. We would still struggle to reach our recommended daily amount (RDA) from eating these foods alone, which is where supplements can help.

Vitamin D Supplements

With your complete our RDA of a high strength form of the vitamin, our supplements are the convenient way of boosting your intake. Added calcium can help to increase absorption and function of vitamin D to support your bones, teeth, and muscles as well as supporting your immune system to fight off colds and flu. (2)