Vitamin D: why darker skin and UK winters need extra care
Almost everyone in the UK is advised to take vitamin D in pregnancy, and if you have darker skin, this one's especially for you.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, which keeps your bones, and your baby's developing bones and teeth, strong. In pregnancy it does extra jobs too, and low levels are linked with problems like a higher chance of your baby having low vitamin D after birth. It's one of the few supplements officially recommended for nearly everyone who's pregnant in the UK.
The reason is simple geography and skin biology. We make most of our vitamin D from sunlight on our skin, but from about October to March the sun in the UK isn't strong enough for our skin to make any, no matter how much time we spend outside. Food gives us only small amounts, oily fish, eggs, and fortified products like some cereals and spreads, rarely enough on its own.
If you have brown or Black skin, you're at higher risk of being low. The melanin that gives darker skin its colour is protective against sun damage, but it also means your skin makes vitamin D more slowly from the same amount of sun. Combine that with a cloudy UK climate, modest or covering clothing, or spending most of the day indoors, and levels can sit low all year round. This isn't a flaw, it's just biology meeting a northern climate, and it's easily fixed.
The recommendation is a daily supplement of 10 micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D throughout pregnancy, and on into breastfeeding. Many pregnancy multivitamins already contain this amount, so check the label rather than doubling up. In the UK you may be able to get vitamin D free through the Healthy Start scheme if you qualify, your midwife can point you to it.
Low vitamin D often causes no obvious symptoms, which is exactly why a daily supplement is recommended rather than waiting to feel unwell. Take it as part of your routine, many people find it easiest alongside a meal or with their folic acid. If you have a condition affecting how you absorb fat or vitamins, or you're unsure how it fits with other supplements, have a quick word with your midwife or pharmacist about the right dose for you.
Source: NHS