{"id":3241,"date":"2026-09-08T07:26:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T04:26:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/powerofnature.bg\/?p=3241"},"modified":"2026-09-08T10:26:46","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T07:26:46","slug":"vitamin-d3-in-winter-who-is-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/powerofnature.bg\/en\/vitamin-d3-in-winter-who-is-at-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Vitamin D3 in winter: who is at risk of low intake"},"content":{"rendered":"

Vitamin D is the only supplement that nutritionists in Bulgaria recommend almost everyone consider during the winter months \u2014 and there's a clear scientific reason for that.<\/strong> Unlike most vitamins, our bodies synthesize most of their vitamin D through the skin, when exposed to sunlight. However, in winter, the sun in Bulgaria is too low above the horizon for this process to occur. In this article, we look at the role of vitamin D3, why its intake drops during the cold months, and who is at higher risk of low intake.<\/p>\n

What is the role of vitamin D3 in the body?<\/h2>\n

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is a fat-soluble vitamin with a broad spectrum of action. It contributes to the normal absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus, to the maintenance of normal blood calcium levels, as well as to the maintenance of normal bones, normal muscle function and normal teeth. Vitamin D3 also contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system and also plays a role in the process of cell division. It is precisely because of this combination of functions \u2014 bones, muscles and immunity \u2014 that it is among the supplements that customers ask about most often with the onset of autumn.<\/p>\n

Why intake drops in winter and who is at higher risk<\/h2>\n

Bulgaria is located between 41\u00b0 and 44\u00b0 north latitude. Between November and March, the sun is too low above the horizon for the skin to synthesize enough vitamin D, regardless of how much time we spend outside. A Bulgarian study on vitamin D levels in the blood shows how pronounced this seasonal decline is: in winter, average levels in the study group drop to around 27 nmol\/l, while they are over 61 nmol\/l in summer, and nearly 76% of the subjects studied have levels below the threshold for sufficiency precisely in the cold months.<\/p>\n

Those most at risk of low intake in winter are people who spend most of the day indoors (office work), the elderly (the skin synthesizes vitamin D more difficultly as we age), people with darker skin tones, and those who rarely consume oily fish or fortified foods. If you recognize yourself in any of these groups, it's a signal that you should pay more attention to your intake during the winter months.<\/p>\n

Vitamin D3 from food or supplement<\/h2>\n

Dietary sources of vitamin D are relatively limited\u2014oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines), egg yolks, and fortified foods contain some amounts, but rarely enough to meet daily needs, especially when solar synthesis virtually ceases in winter. Therefore, a vitamin D3 supplement is a convenient and predictable way to make up the difference, rather than relying solely on a seasonally limited menu.<\/p>\n

Which D3 product to choose<\/h2>\n

Power of Nature offers vitamin D3 in several forms, according to personal intake preferences:<\/p>\n