3 Essential Vitamin Supplements You Need in the Winter

Staying healthy during the winter can be hard. We’re less motivated to exercise in the cold, and many of our favourite fruit and vegetables are no longer available to us. Plus, there’s also the fact that winter is prime season for the common cold and flu. And these are just some of the many reasons why I choose to take vitamin supplements, starting in the fall, the moment temperatures drop below 150C.

From experience, I can say that taking vitamin supplements, combined with at least 8 hours of sleep can be an effective method to stay energized and healthy all winter long. And since I don’t like going to pharmacies during flu season where I’m more likely to catch a bug from someone, I simply order my vitamin supplements online from a reliable e-pharmacy. After plenty of research, I’ve found that the following supplements are most needed for the winter.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is considered one of the most effective ways to reduce the duration and severity of colds and the flu, for which there’s no medication. During the warm months when we have access to a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables, vitamin C isn’t something that we lack. However, this can all change in winter, which is why taking vitamin C supplements is strongly encouraged. If you’re considering this supplement, keep in mind that the recommended daily dose of vitamin C is 40mg for adults and 25mg for children.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A (retinol) helps maintain your vision and is crucial for repairing tissues. The best sources for this vitamin are milk, eggs yolks, liver, fatty fish, which is why people who don’t take in these foods tend to be deficient in it. And this can be bad news in the winter, as vitamin A deficiency has been linked with a reduced immune response and, as such, an increased risk of infection. So, if your diet lacks the main sources of retinol, a supplement can help you meet the daily requirements. The recommended dose is 600mcgs for women and 900mcg for men a day. However, make sure to avoid very high doses of this vitamin as it can cause liver problems.

Vitamin D

Another vitamin that helps boost the immune system is vitamin D. Vitamin D is very unique as it can only be produced in our body when we’re exposed to sunlight. With that being said, vitamin D deficiency is very common during the winter when the days are short and the weather is mostly gloomy. So, if there’s one type of vitamin supplement you definitely need in the winter, it’s this one. In the absence of sunlight, the recommended supplement dose is 20mcg of vitamin D per day. When buying vitamin supplements online or from a local store, you’ll notice that vitamin D commonly comes in combination with calcium. This is because vitamin D is essential for effective calcium absorption.