How to Maintain Healthy Vitamin D in Winter, According to a Nutrition Expert

Vitamin D in winter often becomes an afterthought until the body starts sending signals. Fatigue that lingers, frequent colds, aching joints, and low mood. Winter changes our relationship with sunlight, turning something once abundant into a rare privilege. Foggy mornings, shorter days, and indoor-heavy routines mean many of us go days without seeing the sun properly, and that directly impacts vitamin D in winter.

Research has consistently shown that vitamin D deficiency becomes more common during winter months, especially among women living in urban environments. Reduced sun exposure, air pollution, layered clothing, and long indoor workdays all contribute to lower vitamin D levels in winter. Ironically, this is also the season when the body needs it the most, to support immunity, bone health, muscle strength, and hormonal balance.

Why Vitamin D in Winter Drops So Easily

Vitamin D is produced when our skin is exposed to sunlight. In winter, UVB rays are weaker and daylight hours are shorter, making it harder for the body to synthesise enough vitamin D naturally. As a result, vitamin D in winter often falls below optimal levels without people realising it.

Low vitamin D in winter is commonly linked to sluggishness, weakened immunity, body pain, and mood dips, symptoms many people mistake for normal seasonal tiredness.

How to Maintain Healthy Vitamin D Levels in Winter

Maintaining vitamin D in winter requires a layered approach, not a single fix. While supplements often become the default solution, experts recommend starting with lifestyle and dietary adjustments wherever possible.

According to Akshita Singla, Co-founder of Akya Wellness and a certified nutrition coach, natural sources should always be the first line of support. Sun exposure, even in winter, plays a critical role. Short windows of midday sunlight, when UVB rays are strongest, can still help the body synthesise vitamin D, though fog, pollution, and indoor routines often limit this in urban settings.

Diet becomes the next line of defence. "Including vitamin D-rich food such as fatty fish, egg yolks, UV-exposed mushrooms, and fortified dairy or plant-based alternatives can help support vitamin D levels in winter. However, these foods usually act as supportive additions rather than complete solutions, especially for those already deficient," she adds.

This is where testing becomes essential. Singla emphasises that vitamin D needs vary widely from person to person, and blood tests help remove guesswork. Knowing your baseline allows for more precise decisions rather than relying on generic wellness advice.

For many people, especially during prolonged winter months, Vitamin D tablets or Vitamin D3 supplements become necessary. "Vitamin D3 is generally preferred due to better absorption, particularly when taken with a fat-containing meal," Singla suggests. Supplementation should be viewed as a targeted tool, not a shortcut, used to correct deficiencies and maintain optimal levels when sunlight and diet fall short.

Ultimately, maintaining vitamin D in winter is about consistency and awareness. Sunlight when possible, vitamin D-rich food as part of daily meals, regular testing, and vitamin D tablets where required work together to support the body through a season when deficiency is common but avoidable.