A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects us from ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, which can cause skin cancer. But UVB rays are also what our body uses to produce vitamin D naturally. So, it is logical to ask whether sunscreens would lead to a low level of vitamin D in the body. But experts are of the opinion that this should not be a problem.
Exposure to the sun and a suitable diet help us maintain an optimal level of vitamin D in the bodyPhoto: © Marko Volkmar | Dreamstime.com
How much sunscreen should we use?
“There are several studies showing that regular use of sunscreen does not affect vitamin D levels,” says Dr. Henry W. Lim, a dermatologist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, Michigan.
According to one 2019 meta-analyses published in the British Journal of Dermatology, most research suggests that sunscreen use has little or no impact on vitamin D levels in the body. SPF sunscreens were not included in the study. United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that both adults and children use at least 30 grams of sunscreen to protect their entire body. “None of us use that much,” Lim said, meaning people are less protected from the sun and still able to make vitamin D.
Are vitamin D supplements necessary over the summer?
Although many experts seem to agree that using sunscreen does not affect the level of vitamin D produced by the body, more and more health experts are recommending that we take a vitamin D supplement daily, year-round. let it be good, let it not be bad, as they say.
Vitamin D is actually a hormone. That is, compared to other vitamins that our body needs and cannot synthesize itself, vitamin D can be produced by the body with the help of the sun. That is why it is also called the “sun vitamin”. “Specifically, when the skin is exposed to the sun, the body transforms a ‘cousin’ of cholesterol into a substance that ultimately becomes vitamin D.” This is how the former executive editor of Harvard Health explains the mechanism, in terms that everyone can understand, Patrick J. Skerrett.
How much vitamin D do we need daily?
Sun exposure and a proper diet is all we need to maintain an optimal level of vitamin D in the body, says Dr. Melissa Ann Prest, spokesperson for the Chicago Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Salmon, trout and halibut are some of the best food sources of vitamin D, but many other foods, such as milk and cereals, are fortified with vitamin D.
Most adults need 600 IU of vitamin D per day, while adults over 70 need 800 IU daily. It is rare to have an overdose of vitamin D, but vitamin D deficiency is more of a concern. Vitamin D deficiency in children,especially in the first years of life, it can lead to rickets. Specialists, however, recommend vitamin D supplements especially in the months with R, from September to April, but also during the rest of the year, if the doctor recommends it after the tests.
Which people are at risk of vitamin D deficiency?
People who stay indoors more and have less sun exposure, older adults, people with darker skin, and people who may not absorb vitamin D well because of gastric bypass surgery or a medical condition such as cystic fibrosis or ulcerative colitisare at risk of vitamin D deficiency. These people should have their vitamin D levels checked annually.
“And depending on the results, the doctor should recommend a vitamin D supplement if necessary,” adds Dr. Prest. Because vitamin D is fat-soluble, it is important to take vitamin D supplements with a meal to increase absorption. Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplements have similar functions, but Prest cautions people following a vegan diet that some vitamin D3 supplements may be made from the lanolin oil found in sheep’s wool.
How much vitamin D do we get from the sun?
Many factors influence the amount of vitamin D produced through sun exposure. It all depends on how much time you spend outside in the sun, the season, the latitude you live in, and the amount of melanin in your skin.
And study of 2017 from Spain looked at the amount of sun exposure required for adequate vitamin D production in a mid-latitude northern region at midday and found that 10-20 minutes was sufficient during spring and summer but would take two hours in the winter to get the vitamin D you need from the sun.
“The amount of vitamin D produced by a body under the action of sunlight is closely related to the distance from the sun,” explained Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, scientist and director of the bone metabolism team at Tufts University. The closer we are to the sun, the greater the amount of vitamin D produced by the body. “For example, those who walk on the beach in the late afternoon will not gain much vitamin D because the angle of the sun is too wide at that time of day.”
On the other hand, those who spend a lot of time outside in the sun may even have a reserve of vitamin D in their body’s fatty tissues. Reserve that the body uses when it needs more. People who tend their gardens outdoors, for example, may have vitamin D stores, while people who work in offices may need to increase their vitamin D intake, Dawson-Hughes said.
Although vitamin D is essential, adequate sun protection is equally important. Sunscreens can reduce the risk of skin cancer, wrinkles and skin discoloration.
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
