For Sun Awareness Week (May 4th-10th), we are going through some key things about sunshine and vitamin D, to help you as we start to get more sunshine!
Very few foods are naturally rich in vitamin D. The most effective way that your body makes the most of vitamin D is through sunshine. When your skin is exposed to sunlight, it manufactures vitamin D – this is done by the suns ultraviolet rays interacting with a protein on your skin.
Of the few foods which contain the highest dietary sources of (non-fortified) vitamin D, fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna are at the top of the list.
Here in the U.K. we can’t absorb can’t produce vitamin D from sunlight for around 6 months of the year, so dietary sources and supplementation are important.
What Are The Benefits Of Vitamin D?
Vitamin D has lots of different benefits and supports lots of vital biological processes within the body.
Some benefits include:
- Increased bone health and growth by regulating calcium levels
- Increased muscle mass and stretch
- Increased muscle fibres that are useful for short, powerful movements
- Help support and regulate the immune system
Vitamin D Deficiency
Without the adequate levels of vitamin D, different symptoms can occur, including:
- Muscle aches, muscular weakness and bone pain
- In severe cases, where calcium levels are significant reduced due to lack of vitamin D, the deficiency can lead to slower growth, bone softening and weakening of the skeletal structure and increased risk of skeletal deformities including osteoporosis and fractures
A guide to levels of vitamin D (the results you would see from a blood test):
- Below 30 – deficient
- 30-50 – generally adequate
- 50-125 – adequate
- 125 and above – too high (may have adverse effects)
How Do I Get Enough And What IS Enough?
Sunshine is the best way to get vitamin D, but with the increased vitamin D dose, there has been found to be an increase in DNA damage at skin level. Everyone has their individual burning level.
It has been estimated that 9 minutes of lunchtime sunlight each day would be enough for Caucasians to stay above the deficient levels throughout the year. Little and often seems to be the key as our bodies cannot over store vitamin D.
Sun protection and risks of sun exposure:
- According to studies, it has never been found that everyday sunscreen leads to vitamin D deficiency. Recent research has shown that even with daily sunscreen, vitamin D levels can be maintained.
- SPF 15 and over has been shown to significantly decrease the likelihood of skin damage due to sun exposure, including both premature skin ageing and cancer.
What Affects The Amount of Vitamin D You Get?
- The amount of skin exposure – the amount of clothes that are covering your arms and legs for example, can affect how much skin is being exposed and therefore absorbing the ultraviolet rays.
- Where you live – the closer to the equator you live, the easier it is for your body to sun this s vitamin D all year round.
- The colour of your skin – with darker skin, there is more melanin which can reduce your bodies ability to make vitamin D when exposed to sunshine.
- The time of year and time of day – the highest times for sun exposure due to strength of the ultraviolet rays are in summer time in midday, this is also the time where you need maximal sunscreen protection.
