Should You Ditch Your Sunscreen?

In recent years there has been a lot of buzz about the importance of Vitamin D. Now there is mounting scientific evidence that this vitamin is even more important than previously thought. It affects many vital bodily functions and processes.

Function of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and it is stored in the fatty tissues. Its major biologic function is to maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood which are essential for forming and maintaining strong bones. New research strongly suggests that by optimizing your vitamin D production you could also slash your risk of many types of cancers.

Sources of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is found in food, such as eggs, dairy products (cream, butter, cheese) fatty fish, oysters, etc. Milk and cereals are regularly fortified with vitamin D. Exposure to sunlight is another important source of vitamin D production. When large areas of our skin are exposed to UVB rays our body produces the biologically active form of vitamin D, called calcitriol through a series of steps. Calcitriol circulates in our bloodstream as a hormone, regulating many important bodily functions. An advantage of getting our vitamin D from sunlight is that our body has a regulatory “switch” in place which shuts down vitamin D absorption after adequate sun exposure to prevent toxicity. Experts recommend that fair skinned individuals spend about 20 minutes in the sun without sunscreen daily. For dark skinned individuals the exposure time is 3-4 times more. Great care should be taken against sunburn to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

Supplementation of Vitamin D
Experts estimate that 80-90 percent of U.S. residents are vitamin D deficient. For most of the United States the strength of UVB rays are inadequate for vitamin D synthesis from mid-September through mid-April. In these months it is important to either supplement with vitamin D3 or use safe tanning beds. Before supplementation your vitamin D level should be checked using the [25(OH)D] test. Your physician or nutritionist can order these tests and advise you on current recommended serum levels.

Importance of Vitamin D
Recent research (Grant, 2012) that collectively examined data from 100 different countries concluded exposure to sunlight, which stimulates vitamin D production, decreases the risk of 15 different types of cancers, including: breast, bladder, lung, cervical, colon and pancreatic cancers.

Strong evidence suggests that vitamin D provides protection not only from osteoporosis but from chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes and several autoimmune diseases also. Mounting scientific evidence indicates that vitamin D also plays a vital role in the normal functioning of the immune system.