The Benefits of Vitamin D for Those with Chronic Illness #AD

I’m very happy to be talking about the benefits of vitamin D for those with chronic illness and the BetterYou vitamin D sprays in this post, in collaboration with BetterYou #AD. I have been using the spray for years and it’s such a convenient way to take my supplements.

This post is sponsored by BetterYou. All opinions are my own.

Jump to:

• When the sun just isn’t enough
• Why spoonies may need to supplement year-round
• A new way to take supplements
• I’ll always be using sprays not tablets going forward
• 💬 Comments

When the sun just isn’t enough

Living in the UK means that we bask in glorious sun for at least 10 months of the year, right?? Nope, of course not. While we Brits like to talk about the weather a LOT, it’s usually more along the lines of ‘well, at least it’s only drizzle and not pouring rain’ or ‘hmm, I can’t remember the last time I saw a blue sky’. It’s rather rare that we talk about a long sunny summer . . .

With the sun comes vitamin D, as the body creates it from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors (NHS). Trouble is, this is only possible from late March to early September as the sun isn’t strong enough outside those months. For about half of the year then, we aren’t able to get our vitamin D from sunlight. For this reason, the NHS recommends that all persons consider vitamin D supplementation in the autumn and winter months (NHS).

Like many people in Europe and the Northern American population (Sowah et al. 2017), I came up as insufficient in vitamin D for years. As I live with multiple chronic illness conditions I was getting tested at least every six months with my doctors often raising my vitamin D levels as problematic and prescribing me more and more tablets.

Even after the heatwave a few years ago, when I definitely did my share of sunbathing when my symptoms allowed, my level only just got to ‘normal’ but then quickly lowered as we went into the winter months. Factors such as using sun screen and avoiding the hottest parts of the day may have contributed to me not making enough vitamin D (see Kennel et al. 2010).

Why spoonies may need to supplement year-round

If you are reading my blog then I’m going to guess that you live with one or more chronic illness conditions and are part of what we often call the ‘spoonie community’. Perhaps you have chronic migraine and have to spend a lot of time inside away from harsh light that causes the pain to flare, or have mobility issues that mean trips out the house are difficult or not possible.

As a spoonie myself I know that I spend more time than others indoors, especially when my symptoms are flaring as heat and light makes them worse. The NHS recommends that people who are housebound or aren’t often outdoors supplement with 10 micrograms of vitamin D year-round (NHS). Of course, we should all talk to our doctors before taking a new supplement.

A new way to take supplements

My vitamin D levels seemed a bit like a lost cause. I was really frustrated as I was taking my vitamin D tablets everyday and didn’t know what else to do. Thankfully though, one of my doctors recommended that I try the BetterYou vitamin D spray a few years ago. I’m very happy to now be working with BetterYou on a product I have been using for years!

Why a spray and not tablets? Well, as my doctor explained, some people have issues with malabsorption and so may have trouble digesting tablets. I wonder whether this is an aspect of my problem with tablets. With the spray, we aren’t solely reliant on our digestive system to absorb the supplement.

The spray is also great for those that find taking tablets to be problematic, or just don’t like taking them. I know I already have quite the cocktail of meds and other supplements, so it’s nice not to have to take another one and use the spray instead! Just one spray and I’m done, and no need to think about whether I need to take it with food or drink. 

I’ll always be using sprays not tablets going forward

I really can’t imagine taking my vitamin D any other way in the future. The BetterYou spray is so convenient and easy to use. The DLux 3000 one that I use has a lovely minty taste and doesn’t have that ‘medicinal’ taste that some medications have.

There are also two different strengths of the vitamin D spray to suit your needs. The DLux 3000iu is the highest strength, and is the one I take during the winter months. The lower strength comes in either the DLux 1000iu or the vegan DLux 1000iu.

I’ll definitely be keeping the vitamin D spray as part of my healthcare regime, especially as my latest tests showed that I am in the normal range. It’s really comforting to know that I don’t have to worry about this anymore, and that a simple ‘one-spray and I’m done’ moment in my day is all I have to do.

This post on the benefits of vitamin D for those with chronic illness is sponsored by BetterYou. All opinions are my own.

All links above are US links, for my UK readers:

BetterYou vitamin D spray 3000iu

BetterYou vitamin D spray 1000iu

BetterYou vitamin D spray 1000iu vegan

Please consult a doctor before taking any new supplements. This post is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice in any way. Please see my disclaimer for more details.