Facts about Vitamin D

Fifteen facts you probably never knew about vitamin D and sunlight exposure!!!

G.Surya Thejaswi, M.Pharm
Clinical Research Associate
MV Hospital for Diabetes & Diabetic Research Centre
Royapuram

Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and even effects diabetes and obesity. Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient in the world of nutrition. That's probably because it's free; your body makes it when sunlight touches your skin.Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from natural sunlight.

1. The healing rays of natural sunlight (that generate vitamin D in your skin) cannot penetrate glass. So you don't generate vitamin D when sitting in your car or home.

2. It is nearly impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from your diet. Sunlight exposure is the only reliable way to generate vitamin D in your own body.

3. A person would have to drink ten tall glasses of vitamin D fortified milk each day just to get minimum levels of vitamin D into their diet.

4. The further you live from the equator, the longer exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D. Canada, the UK and most U.S. states are far from the equator.

5. 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. That's why prostate cancer is epidemic among black men- it's a simple, but widespread, sunlight deficiency.

6. Sufficient levels of vitamin D are crucial for calcium absorption in your intestines. Without sufficient vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium, rendering calcium supplements useless.

7. Chronic vitamin D deficiency cannot be reversed overnight: it takes months of vitamin D supplementation and sunlight exposure to rebuild the body's bones and nervous system.

8. Even weak sunscreens (SPF=8) block your body's ability to generate vitamin D by 95%. This is how sunscreen products actually cause disease by creating a critical vitamin deficiency in the body.

9. It is impossible to generate too much vitamin D in your body from sunlight exposure: your body will self-regulate and only generate what it needs.

10. If it hurts to press firmly on your sternum, you may be suffering from chronic vitamin D deficiency right now.

11. Vitamin D is "activated" in your body by your kidneys and liver before it can be used.

12. Having kidney disease or liver damage can greatly impair your body's ability to activate circulating vitamin D.

13. Even though vitamin D is one of the most powerful healing chemicals in your body, your body makes it absolutely free. No prescription required.

Top Ten Tips for Healthy Sun Exposure and Optimizing your Vitamin D Levels:

1. Have a healthy respect for the sun.

2. Always avoid sunburn.

3. Prepare your skin and build up tolerance gradually.

4. Get 15-30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure 2-4 times a week.

5. Get frequent, short exposures.

6. After your 15-30 minutes of sun-block free time in the sun, you must protect yourself.

7. Boost your “internal sunscreen” by anti-oxidants and beneficial fats.

8. Have your Vitamin D blood levels checked regularly.

9. Don’t rely on food alone for your Vitamin D needs.

10. Take Vitamin D3 supplements if necessary.