Benefits of Vitamin D and Ensuring Adequate Amounts, as Sunlight Wanes in Winter Months

Posted by admin on December 29, 2008 under Skin Cancer, Skin Care General, sun protection | Be the First to Comment

What’s all the Hype with Vitamin D and Sun Exposure?

Aside from the psychological benefits it is believed many derive from sunlight, the Vitamin D also produced by sun exposure is today seen as a critical vitamin for bone and muscle health.  It is also considered a deterrent to many other harmful diseases plaguing today’s society.

A deficiency in Vitamin D can cause Rickets in children and has been associated with diabetes, hypertension, certain cancers and arthritis in adults as well.

While dietary requirements for Vitamin D has traditionally been 200 IU for children and adults, 400 IU for adults over the age of 50 and 800 IU for elderly adults, some physicians believe that doses of even 800 IU are not enough to prevent fractures associated with osteopenia. Some doctors are now recommending 1000 IU per day of Vitamin D3 supplementation for those patients who are avoiding or protecting themselves from the harmful rays of the sun – or those living in regions with long seasons of diminished sunlight.

Societies today are receiving less natural sun exposure than generations past – as a result of sun –related health concerns and changing work and school environments with less outdoor exposure.

The new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that all children receive 400 IU of vitamin D every day, either through their diet or  vitamin supplements. These guidelines come in response to the increasing reports of rickets in infants and children in the United States. It is important to note that 400 IU of vitamin D is seen in the vitamin supplements of most children.

Vitamin D derived from the diet is found in such things as orange juice, milk and other dairy products, as well as oily fish and cod liver oil. Vitamin D is also produced in the skin after approximately five minutes of sun exposure. Additional exposure does not increase production of vitamin D.

Ultraviolet light B (UVB) converts 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) to pre-vitamin D3 in the skin, which is then converted to vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is transported to the kidneys and liver and becomes biologically active.

For years dermatologists have recommended the avoidance of excessive sun exposure at peak hours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), along with the use of sun protective clothing. In contrast, some endocrinologists have recommended exposure to this UV radiation so that people ensure that they achieve the adequate Vitamin D levels in the body.

So, what are readers of such conflicting information to think? Too much sun causes skin cancer, too little sun causes a deficiency in vitamin D…

Too little vitamin D can cause rickets or osteoporosis. There are approximately 10-12 million Americans with osteoporosis.  What is the best thing to do?  All individual factors should be considered.

Who is at risk for developing a Vitamin D deficiency?

• Breast fed infants may require supplementation after the first few days of life, as mother’s milk does not contain enough vitamin D.
• Children who consume less than one quart of milk a day require supplementation.
• Other children at risk for vitamin D deficiency and in need of supplementation include African American children. The darker skin of an African American child interferes with ultraviolet light penetration and vitamin D production. African American children and adults alike, as well as other cultures with particularly dark skin, require six times more UVB to produce vitamin D.
• Obesity suppresses the production of vitamin D, as vitamin D is kept in adipose tissue.
• Skin of the elderly is also vulnerable as it is thin and does not have enough vitamin D precursor – establishing a deficient environment.

A simple blood test can be performed to detect the levels of vitamin D in the blood. Even an apparently healthy athlete can have a blood test that reveals a deficiency in vitamin D.

Parents should ensure that children are eating a healthy diet with vitamin D-rich foods and achieve a healthy balance in diet, sun exposure and supplementation – assuring healthy vitamin D levels.

As with any new recommendation, it is best to discuss the issues of vitamin D, sun exposure, blood tests and supplementations with a qualified physician.