Sunshine is the leading factor in getting enough vitamin D for your body to use. The skin uses the sun’s ultraviolet rays to form vitamin D3 from cholesterol, which the kidneys and liver convert to the vitamin D used by the body.
Lack of sun exposure can cause a vitamin D deficiency that can promote bone loss and osteoporosis. Elderly adults who do not get out into the sun regularly are at the greatest risk because their bones are already weakening due to aging and hormone deficiency. With their thinner skin, they do not absorb as much UV light as they need to create vitamin D3.
Another problem is that more skin is covered during colder and inclement weather than in the summer. According to a study from Valencia, Spain, only 8 to 10 minutes of sun exposure is necessary during warmer months when 25 percent of the body is uncovered. However, in the winter, when only 10 percent of the body is uncovered, it takes nearly 2 hours of sun exposure to produce enough vitamin D.
A US study looked at Boston and Miami and found that with 25% of the body exposed in the summer, individuals in Miami would only require 3 minutes of sun exposure compared to 23 minutes for people in the winter in Boston.
Using sunscreen increases the time necessary in the sun because less UV light penetrates the skin. However, without sunscreen, skin cancer risk increases. Maximizing the benefits of the sun for vitamin D includes allowing as much skin as possible receive sun exposure for the shortest time.
Effects of Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is crucial for your health, as a deficiency can lead to joint pains, bone loss, depression, and fatigue. Trouble sleeping, hair loss, muscle weakness, pale skin, loss of appetite, and more frequent illness are other vitamin D deficiency symptoms. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to cardiovascular, autoimmune, and neurological problems if left untreated. Pregnancy complications, infections, and certain cancers also increase.
Another problem associated with vitamin D deficiency is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which occurs with seasonal changes in the fall and winter, depending on location.
SAD is also known as the “winter blues” due to the depression it brings. As the daylight hours shorten, reduced sun exposure decreases vitamin D levels. Symptoms of SAD include:
- Low energy
- Sluggishness
- Oversleeping
- Feeling sad
- Carbohydrate craving
- Weight gain
- Trouble concentrating
Because vitamin D boosts serotonin activity, finding other ways of getting enough vitamin D when sunlight is not possible is crucial. If not treated, SAD can lead to work or school problems, social withdrawal, mental health issues, substance abuse, and possibly suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
You may be at an increased risk for developing vitamin D deficiency if any of the following apply:
- Older adults – the ability of the skin to synthesize vitamin D decreases, especially when combined with less time spent outdoors
- Infants – breastfed babies should receive 400 IU of oral vitamin D each day since breastmilk is not fortified with vitamin D
- Darker skin color – increased skin pigmentation reduces ultraviolet B (UVB) absorption from the sun
- Obesity – body fat inhibits vitamin D absorption from the skin
- Disabled individuals – may not get outside enough
- Geographical influence – living in northern areas with reduced sunlight during winter months decreases sun exposure time
- Gastric bypass surgery – part of the upper intestine that helps absorb vitamin D is affected by this surger
Benefits of Vitamin D for Health
Your body needs vitamin D! The importance of getting enough of this vitamin from outside sources cannot be stressed enough. Vitamin D helps to regulate some essential functions, as you will see below. Because it is a hormone that the body does not make naturally, vitamin D protection is essential to good health.
Here are some of the many benefits of vitamin D for your health:
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Healthy bones and muscles
Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption in the intestine, regulating blood calcium and phosphorous levels for the bones. Vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of osteoporosis. Your muscles also need vitamin D to help preserve muscle fibers and strength.
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Support immune function
Vitamin D helps to regulate the immune system. In some cases, when our immune system cannot deal with systemic inflammation, some hormone medicines like HGH or steroids are prescribed to decrease the inflammation. But what is the difference between them? Learn more about HGH vs. steroids and discover these hormones’ benefits.
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Regulate mood and reduce depression
Vitamin D helps maintain serotonin levels which can reduce feelings of depression. Sun exposure also helps reduce seasonal affective disorder symptoms.
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Support weight loss
Vitamin D may play a role in helping boost weight loss, as studies have shown that taking vitamin D supplements while dieting decreased fat mass.
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Decrease type 2 diabetes risk
Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Calcium and vitamin D intake may lower that risk.
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Cognitive decline
A study showed that people with low vitamin D levels were at a higher risk of developing dementia than those with normal vitamin D levels.
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Decrease the risk of heart disease
The heart has vitamin D receptors, which help regulate inflammatory and immune cells that protect against cardiovascular disease. However, vitamin D supplements have not shown any benefits for the heart.
Be Careful With the Sun
Sun exposure increases your risk of skin cancer, which is more serious than vitamin D deficiency. Midday sun is the worst and can rapidly damage the skin, although the increase in vitamin D is rapid. Protecting your body from sun damage is crucial to avoid further problems. Also, limiting your time, especially during hot weather, can decrease your risk of heat stroke.
Some of the damage caused by too much sun exposure includes:
- Sunburns – Sunburns come in varying degrees, ranging from first-degree (pink or red skin), second-degree (blistering), to third-degree (scarring). Third-degree sunburns are rare but require emergency treatment.
- Skin cancer – The more sunburns you have over your life, the greater the risk of long-term skin damage and skin cancer risk.
- Aging skin – Extensive sun exposure can cause increased wrinkling, age spots, and leathery or loose and sagging skin.
- Other skin changes – Freckles and moles are issues that could occur with too much sun exposure.
Some Tips for Increasing Vitamin D
You do not have to go out into the sun to help your body increase vitamin D levels. There is also no need to get sun exposure daily because it builds up in your fat cells. Aiming for a few times a week is often enough for most people. While midday sun, around noon, is when the body is most efficient at synthesizing vitamin D, it is also when the most significant risk of skin damage occurs.
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Protect your face and eyes while in the sun
Wear sunglasses and a hat to protect your eyes, scalp, and face from sun damage. Sun exposure to the eyes can increase your risk of cataracts.
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Limit sun exposure without sunscreen to 30 minutes
If the weather is nice, uncover as much of your skin as possible to limit the time you need to be outside. However, even if for a few minutes, cover any sensitive skin areas with sunscreen to protect them from damage.
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Optimize skin exposure
Aim to have 40 percent of your skin exposed to the sun – without sunscreen. Cover your face, neck, and hands with sunscreen and your head with a hat. Let your arms and legs absorb the sun’s rays.
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Know the amount of time necessary in the sun
The time you need depends on where you live, the time of year, and your skin pigmentation. Researching this online can help you select the best time of day and duration for your sun exposure.
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Get sun before midday
You probably heard stay out of the sun between noon and 3 at some point. That is when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Timing your sun exposure to earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon is the best way to get your daily dosing of the sun while reducing skin cancer risk. If you are going out at midday, you will need less time in the sun.
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Take a vitamin D supplement
The best option is vitamin D3, which you can find in tiny tablets or drops. Cod liver oil can also help increase vitamin D levels. If you do not get vitamin D from the sun or food, aim for 600 IU daily before age 70 and 800 IU each day if you are older than 70.
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Get vitamin D from foods
While not a lot of foods are high in vitamin D, the following options provide the best natural source:
- Egg yolks
- Canned sardines and herring
- Beef liver
- Fatty fish such as mackerel, tuna, salmon, and trout
- Mushrooms
- Cheddar cheese
Some foods are fortified with vitamin D, providing significant benefits, including:
- Almond, oat, and soy milk
- Dairy milk
- Breakfast cereals
- Oatmeal
- Orange juice
You will need to check the labels of these products to determine if they contain added vitamin D.
Conclusion
Vitamin D is crucial to the body; sun exposure helps the skin produce this essential hormone. However, you must also protect your skin from sun damage, so provide the largest skin area for the shortest time. Remember to wear sunscreen on the delicate areas of your skin for added protection against skin cancer.
If you plan to be out in the sun for an extended time, use sunscreen on all exposed skin surfaces after the first few minutes.