Vitamins and minerals: do you need supplements?
Let’s talk nutrients! If you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet, you’re probably getting a good mix of vitamins and minerals. But if you’re on weight loss medications and eating less, you might need a little help from supplements.
Should I take a supplement?
Supplements are not magic pills – they do not replace a healthy diet. Whole foods give you fibre and other benefits that supplements just cannot match. But if you’re eating less or following a restrictive diet (such as a vegan diet), a multivitamin might help. Ask your pharmacist or GP to advise you on supplementation.
What about Vitamin D?
Between late March/early April to the end of September, most people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight. However, everyone should consider taking 10 micrograms (µg) of vitamin D daily in autumn and winter (October to March).
You might need to take vitamin D all year round if you:
- are over 65
- have darker skin, for example if you’re from a South Asian, African or African-Caribbean background
- do not get much sunlight
Vitamins cheat sheet
| How it contributes to your health | Where to find it | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Helps the immune system to function normally, helps with vision, and supports the maintenance of normal skin. |
Liver, cheese, eggs, leafy greens, orange veg & fruit |
| B1 | Helps to release energy from food. It also helps our nervous system and heart function normally |
Bread, cereals, nuts, meat, beans |
| B2 | Helps to release energy from food, reduce tiredness, and helps to maintain normal skin and a normal nervous system. |
Milk, eggs, cereals, oily fish, mushrooms |
| B3 | Helps to release energy from food, reduce tiredness, and helps to maintain normal skin and a normal nervous system. |
Meat, poultry, fish, wholegrains, nuts |
| B6 | Helps to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. It helps our immune system work properly, regulates hormones, and helps to reduce tiredness. |
Meat, fish, cereals, egg yolk, fruit & veg |
| Folic acid | Helps to make red blood cells, reduces tiredness, and helps the immune system work as it should. It is also needed for the normal development of the nervous system in unborn babies. |
Leafy greens, bread, offal, beans, berries |
| B12 | Helps to make red blood cells, helps the nervous system function normally, and helps to reduce tiredness. |
Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, cereals |
| C | Helps to protect cells from damage. It helps form collagen, which is important for normal bones, gums, teeth, and skin. It also helps the immune system and the nervous system to function normally. |
Citrus fruits, berries, peppers, tomatoes |
| D | Helps the body to absorb calcium and to build and maintain healthy bones and muscles. It also helps the immune system to work as it should. |
Oily fish, eggs, cereals, sunlight |
| E | Helps to protect the cells in our bodies against damage. |
Oils, nuts, seeds, avocados |
| K | Helps with normal clotting of blood and is required for normal bone structure. |
Leafy greens, broccoli, oils |
Minerals cheat sheet
| Why it’s important | Where to find it | |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Helps to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. It helps nerves and muscles to function normally and helps blood to clot normally. |
Dairy, leafy greens, fish, fortified foods |
| Iodine | Helps to make thyroid hormones, and it helps the brain to function normally. |
Dairy, fish, shellfish, eggs, check dairy alternatives are fortified with iodine |
| Iron | Helps to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. It also helps the immune system to work and helps the brain to function normally. |
Meat, beans, fish, quinoa, dried fruit |
| Magnesium | Helps to release energy from food, maintain strong bones and it helps normal muscle and nerve function. |
Nuts, cereals, wholegrains |
| Phosphorus | Helps to build strong bones and teeth and helps to release energy from food. |
Meat, dairy, eggs, wholegrains |
| Potassium | Helps to regulate the water content in the body and maintain a normal blood pressure. It also helps the nerves and muscles to function normally. |
Fruit, veg, meat, dairy, cereals |
| Selenium | Helps to protect the cells in our bodies against damage, helps the immune system to work as it should, and helps maintain normal skin and nails, and normal fertility in males. |
Nuts, eggs, meat, fish |
| Sodium | Helps to regulate the water content in the body. |
Naturally in foods, and added as salt (in food manufacture – no need to add at home) |
| Zinc | Helps contribute to normal mental skills and abilities and helps to maintain normal hair, skin, and nails. It also helps with the normal healing of wounds and contributes to normal fertility and reproduction. |
Meat, shellfish, nuts, cereals |
Source: British Nutrition Foundation (2023)
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