As the clocks changed, I started waking in the morning to darkness and coming back home in the evening in darkness. At pick up, as parents, we were all mentioning how tired we were feeling and how much of a struggle it was to get out of bed. Winter months can take a toll on our mental health and as a GP, I have seen lower mood and seasonal depression being a prevalent consequence. We are also exposed to less sunshine which has an effect on our skin. It is for this reason that we chose natural energy as our function for orange and passion fruit and incorporated vitamin D into our drinks. Especially as a UK produced drink, we wanted to tailor our drinks for our UK based customers and ensure we replace and support what matters most.Low vitamin D can contribute to fatigue in several interconnected ways. Vitamin D acts more like a hormone than a typical vitamin, and when levels are low, several systems involved in energy, mood, and muscle function are affected.1. It disrupts muscle functionVitamin D helps muscles contract efficiently.When levels are low:• Muscles tire more quickly• Physical tasks feel harder• You may feel overall “heavy” or sluggish2. It affects sleep qualityVitamin D plays a role in regulating melatonin, the hormone that controls sleep.Low levels can lead to:• More nighttime awakenings• Less restorative deep sleep• Morning grogginess3. It alters immune activityVitamin D supports the immune system.When levels drop, your immune system becomes slightly more activated, which can create low-grade inflammation—a common cause of persistent fatigue.4. It’s linked with mood and motivationVitamin D influences serotonin and other neurotransmitters. Low levels are associated with:• Low mood• Irritability• Reduced motivationAll of which can make fatigue feel worse.5. It can contribute to secondary issuesPeople with low vitamin D may also develop:• Bone aches• Muscle stiffness• Generalized discomfortThese symptoms tax your energy and make everyday activities more tiring.As a GP, we often need to explore why people are ‘tired all the time’-it is so common it even has the acronym of TATT. One of the tested markers is vitamin D and it is also often the culprit. Vitamin D is the most common deficiency in the UK and 1 in 6 adults and almost 20% of children have lower vitamin D levels than the government recommendation. Vitamin D levels need to be above 50nmol/L but even then you are at the lower end of the scale. This is the reason why at GEN we thought to add vitamin D to our drinks as every little helps!Orange & Passion Fruit GEN Collagen is just packed with goodness - great unison of Vitamin D, Vitamin C and collagen. Our drinks are premium in that they contain 8g of marine collagen, your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C and one third of your recommended Vitamin D allowance. These components work in synergy to enhance your energy levels, improving your immune function and strengthening joints, muscles and bone. Vitamin D is actually our most expensive ingredient but we did not let that deter us from giving you the best!It is also always good to get natural boosts of vitamin D. Sunlight is the most effective natural source of vitamin D but it has to be 30 minutes of midday sun and darker skin tones may need longer. You should also eat Vitamin D rich foods such as egg yolk, fish including salmon and mackerel, cod liver oil. It is important to maintain a healthy weight as Vitamin D is fat soluble so can get trapped in body fat making levels lower.We appreciate the above can be difficult and even more so over the winter months-so in comes our on-the-go premium collagen drink-vitamin D and C and collagen all packed into one can for convenience.So in summary, we all need vitamin D. It is important for immune function, muscle function, good sleep and maintain good mood and motivation. What are you waiting for-incorporate Orange and Passion Fruit GEN Collagen into your daily routine with ease and convenience and look forward to that deliciously refreshing taste!