Vitamins and supplements advice

When you’re enjoying a nutritiously balanced diet and healthy lifestyle you should be getting all the vitamins you need from the foods you eat. However, sometimes life gets in the way and you may find it hard to get all the vitamins you need, that's where vitamins and supplements can help. There may also be times in your life where you need a little extra support to make sure your body has everything it needs.  

During the autumn and winter months when sunlight is lacking here in the UK a vitamin D supplement is recommended to help keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. We get most of our vitamin D from sunlight, certain foods and supplements, the vitamin also supports your immune system. If you’re pregnant or trying to have a baby, there are a range of health vitamins that you can take, or you may be recommended to support your body and fertility. It’s important to remember that food supplements shouldn’t be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.  

Vitamins are organic compounds which our bodies make to help us to function properly, vitamins help support everything from eye health to our skin. However, our bodies sometimes don’t make enough of the vitamins they need so we can get these from other sources, including food and supplements.

The foods we eat are full of nutritious vitamins that help support our health and wellbeing, from vitamin A which helps your immune system to iron which helps the body make red blood cells that take oxygen to every part of your body. That’s why it’s so important to eat a varied, balanced and healthy diet full of all the main food groups, our healthy eating guide is a great place to start if you’re looking to shake up your routine. 

Vitamins are essential, but sometimes we can’t get enough from our diet alone and that’s where supplements can be beneficial. Available in tablet, capsule, gummy and spray forms they’re designed to complement your diet or be added to it throughout the day. Supplements aren’t a substitute for your 5 a day or family meals, they’re a little helper for your body when you need it most.  

If you’re looking to introduce vitamins and supplements into your daily routine there’s a few things you should be aware of first. Depending on your own personal circumstances and health or even age some vitamins may not be suitable for you. So, to ensure that they’re safe for you to take you can speak to one of our pharmacists or your doctor about what may be right for you. Make sure to read the label for dosage advice as well as online guides and the NHS website. There may also be ingredients that aren't safe for you to have, or you may choose not to eat, for example if you have a seafood allergy or want halal vitamins and supplements instead.