Vitamins and minerals are essential for the healthy functioning of human processes such as immunity, metabolism, and cell reproduction.
The vast majority of us get all their vitamins from a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. But sometimes, people may need the help of supplements.
Data collected by Pharma Nord has revealed the most searched vitamin-related terms on Google across every region in the UK. Dividing these results by the population of each region identifies which region searches for which vitamins the most.
Here, we look at the most popular vitamin in the UK, some unique findings, and why lockdown has affected our vitamin intake.
Popularity
Across the UK, every region searched for ‘vitamin D’ more than any other vitamin related term―including the term ‘vitamins’ itself. Between September 2019 and August 2020, people across the UK entered ‘vitamin D’ into Google a total of 167,000 times, making the fat-soluble secosteroid the most popular vitamin in the UK.
When comparing regions and considering the population size, people in London searched for ‘vitamin D’ the most, with 40,500 searches per 100k people. This was followed by the Midlands and the North West, with 27,100 and 18,100 searches per 100k people.
While ‘vitamin D’ remained the most popular search term across the UK, other derivatives achieved high search scores. Some even making the top ten search terms of the 948 vitamin keywords researched. These include ‘vitamin D3’ and ‘vitamin D food’.
Vitamin D comes in two main forms: D2 and vitamin D3. D3 is up to three times more potent than the former and is more common in animals. Vitamin D2 comes from fruit and juices, while vitamin D3 is obtained from meat and sunlight and is arguably more important, according to some researchers.
| Rank | Searches per Month | Search Term |
| 1 | 167,000 | Vitamin D |
| 2 | 79,100 | Vitamin B12 |
| 3 | 62,900 | Vitamin C |
| 4 | 58,100 | Folic acid |
| 5 | 37,180 | Vitamin D food |
| 6 | 36,920 | Biotin |
| 7 | 35,220 | B12 |
| 8 | 33,500 | Vitamin D3 |
| 9 | 33,270 | Niacinamide |
| 10 | 28,520 | Injectable B12 |
Regional data
Interestingly, out of the 948 vitamin terms researched, 837 were searched for most by Londoners. This was followed by the Midlands and the North West. Northern Irish searchers were less likely to seek out vitamins on Google.
The data did reveal an interesting trend. The North West region searched more times for terms including ‘low folate’, ‘thiamine tablets’, and ‘injectable B12’. The latter term was searched 20.4 per cent more in the North West than London, where the term was searched the second most.
This is significant, as these terms all relate to a deficiency in vitamin B. B vitamins share a similar name but are distinct compounds with differing functions. Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, assists in the metabolism of every cell in the body. This relates to folate. According to the NHS, “deficiency anaemia occurs when a lack of vitamin B12 or folate causes the body to produce abnormally large red blood cells that cannot function properly.”
Thiamine is also known as vitamin B1. This vitamin turns food into energy to help maintain the nervous system in our bodies.
There appears to be limited research on whether the North West experiences a vitamin B deficiency in comparison to other regions in the UK. But from the search data, there is a definite correlation in attempts to find supplements of this vitamin.
A boost through lockdown?
The data shows that searches terms relating to vitamins increased during the national lockdown, between March and May. This trend was noticeable across all regions of the UK.
Searches peaked in April 2020, with each of the 948 terms searched being searched on average 214 times. This compares to lows of 113 searches in December 2019 and 145 searches in February 2020, before a dramatic increase to 203 searches by March―only one month later.
Restrictions about leaving your house have likely influenced increased interest in supplements. In London for example, searches for ‘vitamin D supplement’ during the three main months of lockdown between March and April averaged at 6,200 searches per month. This was 28 per cent higher than the average of the three months prior and 52 per cent higher than the following three months. The region has limited garden space, therefore supplements of the vitamins received from sunlight may be essential to continue a healthy nutrient balance.
The NHS, Scottish and Welsh Governments, and Northern Ireland’s Public Health Agency have advised that vitamin D supplements should be taken during the pandemic if you are spending more time indoors.