It’s pretty common knowledge by now that sun on human skin leads to the production of Vitamin D, which has been touted for reducing the risk of everything from Type 2 Diabetes to many cancers.  So, with science’s increased recommendations to avoid the sun and increase regular use of sunscreen there has been some concern that we would have a deficit of this nutrient. Not only is this concern unjustified, it is a slippery slope to rationalizing the “need” for a tan. For example, an article in Allure Magazine, which I wrote about recently, discussed the dangers of tanning.

But one young woman, “Katie_k”, who posted a comment, had convinced herself that her tanning salon use was justified by the need for Vitamin D.    Here’s what I wrote to her in response:

This article is important.   And to Katie_k who vowed to continue using tanning beds out of concern about low Vitamin D scares:   My answer? You’re wrong. The fact is, we can now check our  vitamin D level and take supplements should we be found to be deficient.  Skin cancer is nothing to be messed with. Exposing ourselves to a carcinogen like UV rays is never a good idea. Using a tanning bed is especially a bad one.

I am concerned about the Katie_ks of the world. So here’s a reminder from a good summary article, to try again to allay fears about a lack of Vitamin D:

“For most children, teens and adults, a daily dose of 400 international units (IUs) of the vitamin is sufficient, and 600 IUs are recommended. Seniors older than 70 should ideally receive 800 IUs of vitamin D a day, the panel determined. For babies younger than 1, the panel considered 400 IUs of vitamin D enough.

Those levels are somewhat higher than the ones set in 1997, the last time a government panel examined vitamin D intake. But they are far below what many doctors and supplement advocates had been urging….

Does that mean I should give up my vitamin D supplements?

Maintaining a healthy level of vitamin D through diet alone has become much easier since manufacturers began fortifying foods with the nutrient. Fortified foods — including virtually all milk, many brands of orange juice, and some cheeses, yogurts, margarines and breakfast cereals — are now some of the richest dietary sources of vitamin D. High levels exist naturally in fatty fish such as tuna, salmon and mackerel, and it’s also present in egg yolks and beef liver….

Indeed, the sun is a free, plentiful source of vitamin D. When the sun shines on human skin for at least five to 15 minutes, the body produces the nutrient. But with people spending more time indoors and using sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, this source has fallen on hard times. In fact, the panel didn’t even factor in vitamin D from sun exposure when it made its recommendations.

Does that mean I should lay off the sunscreen?

The sun can be a powerful manufacturer of the nutrient: In 15 minutes, a light-skinned person wearing a bathing suit outside in early July will produce 15,000 to 20,000 IUs of Vitamin D.

The body stores excess vitamin D in fat, and some research suggests that it is released as needed. But there’s debate about how well that happens, so the panel members suggest that daily dosing of vitamin D is a better bet.

Besides, even 15 minutes without sunscreen won’t fly with dermatologists. They warn that prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light – either from the sun or in a tanning booth – elevates a person’s risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. So, by all means, slather on that sunscreen.”

Do read the whole story.  Here’s a link to that and another good story about Vitamin D.

So, drink your fortified milk and toast to your good health.