We often hear about the importance of Vitamin D for overall health and there’s often a debate about how best Black people can take and maintain good levels of Vitamin D. A lack of this important vitamin can affect our immune system, weaken bones, contribute to a lower mood, affect the menstruation cycles and our skin. We spoke to Lola Ross, Registered Nutritionist and Female Health Specialist for the full Vitamin D low down.

Vitamin D is a ‘prohormone’ - a vitamin that functions in the body in a similar way as hormones do. Human health relies on adequate vitamin D to support bone, immune, skin and brain health. It is also important in cell growth and development and for supporting the endocrine hormones across the body. And deficiency or insufficiency of this nutrient can lead to compromised immunity, weaker bones, mood, skin and female cycle changes.

There are a few food sources of vitamin D such as salmon, eggs, butter, mushrooms(exposed to sunlight before eating) but they contain pretty small amounts, so our main source of vitamin D comes from skin exposure to sunlight.

Vitamin D deficiency is regularly seen in testing populations in black and brown people who live in the global north where light levels are lower and lifestyle can mean less time spent outdoors. Whilst melanin can provide Black skin higher levels of natural sunscreen it also means that in lower light areas of the world, vitamin D synthesis from the sun more challenging.

Studies have shown that seasonal changes in vitamin D levels leave Black and brown women at more risk of deficiency across seasons. Being a vitamin integral to the healthy development of the body’s cells and enhancing the skin’s immunity, optimal Vitamin D levels are crucial in managing conditions like eczema, psoriasis, acne to simply boosting your glow.

Depending on geographical location and lifestyle, vitamin D supplement dosage needs will differ, but as sunlight declines during the winter months, starting at a minimum dose of 3000 iu a day is worth considering. Only testing can help to give you accurate dosages, so for more precision, get your vitamin D levels checked through your nutritionist, GP or via at-home testing lab such as Thriva.co. Vitamin D supplementation is found in its most active form vitamin D3, and is usually extracted from lanolin, but vegan forms exist which are made from fungi and lichen.