Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin the body naturally produces when our skin is exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. It is essential to the body’s bone development and maintenance and emerging research has linked vitamin D deficiency with a number of serious health issues, including some cancers, diabetes and heart attacks.
Contrary to the tanning industry’s claims, the amount of UV exposure needed to produce sufficient vitamin D levels is very small and does not justify the need for sunbathing. In one 20-minute tanning session, a tanning salon patron receives 4.5-7 times the amount of UVB radiation needed for vitamin D production, in addition to the exposure to harmful UVA rays.
There is simply no benefit to using UV to boost vitamin D levels since it is a known carcinogen. In fact, dermatologists say most Americans get the adequate amount of vitamin D by going outside in the course of their daily duties and through nutrients found in food.
Healthy vitamin D levels can easily be accomplished by diet and taking oral vitamin D supplements rather than by seeking UV-induced vitamin D. The two are chemically indistinguishable and the oral form does not pose a cancer risk. Elderly and those with darkly-pigmented skin are at the highest risk for vitamin D deficiency. Although they are least likely to be vitamin D deficient, young, fair-skinned individuals are most likely to seek vitamin D through UV exposure.
Consult your healthcare practitioner before beginning any vitamin/dietary supplement regimen. When taken in excessive amounts, vitamin D is difficult to remove from the body since it is not water-soluble. Vitamin D excess can lead to too much calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia), which can create complications including kidney stones and kidney failure.
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