It’s not just vitamin D that needs to be boosted in the UK population, says Graham Burdge, while Monty Goldin points to the crucial role of magnesium ‘You need magnesium in your body for vitamin D to be effective,’ writes pharmacist Monty Goldin. Photograph: CharlieAJA/Getty Images/iStockphoto ‘You need magnesium in your body for vitamin D to be effective,’ writes pharmacist Monty Goldin. Photograph: CharlieAJA/Getty Images/iStockphoto Letters Tue 1 Jun 2021 11.50 EDT Last modified on Tue 1 Jun 2021 11.51 EDT Dr Helga Rhein (Letter, 20 May) makes an excellent point by emphasising the importance of nutrition for maintaining general health and, in particular, that of our immune system as part of the battle against coronavirus. She points out that levels of vitamin D in the UK population are low and that maintaining adequate levels is important for overall health, including our ability to fight infection. However, there are other nutrients that are arguably as important in this respect for which UK intake is too low.