The Silent Epidemic: Vitamin D and Sun Exposure

Our awareness of Vitamin D deficiency is to the 2000s what a toxic liver was to the 1990s. Studies show that Vitamin D deficiency is a “silent epidemic” at record lows, and that 3 out of 4 Americans are deficient. Adults and children require Vitamin D to protect against numerous different types of cancer—lung, breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, for example—and a multitude of other diseases. Vitamin D deficiency in infants in the first several months can put them at risk for several major diseases later in life.

Why have we become so deficient? We’ve become incredibly vigilant about reducing exposure to the sun for fear of skin cancer and sun damage to the skin. Since Vitamin D is made in the skin through exposure to the sun there does seem to be an uncanny relationship between our newfound sun consciousness and vitamin D deficiencies.

97% of cancers are linked to vitamin D deficiency. That means that only 3% of cancers are linked to overexposure from the sun. So add it all up and you’ll realize that you’re much better off being in the sunshine, as long as you don’t burn. So don’t be afraid of the sun, just be smart.

“Depending on your age, what type of skin you have, where you live and what time of the day and year it is, your need will vary. The farther you live from the equator, the more exposure to the sun you need in order to generate Vitamin D. For instance, a fair skinned person, sitting on a New York beach in June, in the middle of the day, for about 10-15 minutes (enough to cause a light pinkness 24 hours after), is producing the equivalent of 15,000-20,000 IU’s of Vitamin D. But the same person living further north in the U.K, or Canada would need 20-30 minutes to get that light pinkness, which is all one needs. Also, people with dark skin pigmentation may need 20-30 times as much exposure to sunlight as fair-skinned people, to generate the same amount of Vitamin D,” writes Dr. Frank Lipman.

For adults, the best measure is to have your vitamin D levels tested. It’s a little trickier for children as we’re not going to willingly take them for a blood test when they are young.

Here are some of Dr. Frank Lipman’s Tips on healthy sun exposure and increasing your Vitamin D levels

1. It sounds obvious, but ALWAYS avoid a sunburn.
2. Dr. Lipmann suggests getting 15 to 30 minutes of sunscreen free exposure to the sun 2 to 4 times a week (particularly, believe it or not, in the peak sunny hours of the day is when the most beneficial UVB rays are strongest). For children we suggest more caution. So less time, such as 5 to 10 minutes, spread out over the week.
3. Get frequent, short exposures to the sun. This is much safer than long and infrequent sun exposure. Note: You cannot generate Vitamin D from sun exposure behind glass.
4. After your safe sun exposure, sunscreen and hats/protective clothing is key. Consult the Environmental Working Group’s safe sunscreen list here. Remember, once you apply sunscreen your body is no longer producing Vitamin D.
5. Foods can boost your internal sunscreen are an abundance of fruits and veggies, such as greens, blueberries, raspberries, goji berries, pomegranates. Fish oils also help to generate internal sun protection.
6. Food sources of vitamin D include: Fish liver oil, fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring and sardines, free-range, grass-fed meat (including liver) butter and eggs. Food and supplements are not enough Vitamin D. So don’t rely on food alone, as your body would require large amounts of it to get its daily needs. Vitamin/mineral-fortified foods may provide enough nutrients to keep you from major deficiencies but they are of low quality and should not be relied upon to provide your daily required amount of vitamins and minerals.
7. Vitamin D supplements are only a viable option if you are Vitamin D deficient, if you don’t get healthy sun exposure.

As always, the choice is up to you! Consult your doctor if you have concerns about you or your little one’s vitamin D levels. Enjoy the sun safely.

Source: For more information on Vitamin D consult the Vitamin D Solution by Dr. Michael Holick. This piece was written using source material from goop.com.