Should you take advantage of the sun while it's out? Answer: Absolutely! The question then is why should we take advantage of the sun? Up to 75% of us are deficient in this vitamin and up to 95% of people 70 years and older are deficient in this vitamin.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF VITAMIN D?
Vitamin D is a direct product of our skin absorbing the good ultra violet rays (UVB) from the sun. In reality vitamin D isn't even a vitamin, it's a hormone! Vitamin D is essential to our health in helping us prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, rickets, heart disease, tetany, cancers, and all autoimmune diseases. It also aids in illnesses such as insomnia, depression, and the common cold. As a matter of fact sufficient Vitamin D levels have been shown to decrease your chance at showing any symptoms from COVID-19 (Vitamin D deficiency increases COVID-19 risk by more than 50% - UPI.com). Vitamin D also helps regulate the calcium levels in the body. When the blood calcium decreases more vitamin D is produced and absorbs calcium from the intestines and/or bones.
HOW DOES THE BODY PRODUCE VITAMIN D FROM THE SUN?
In a nutshell as our skin is exposed to the UVB rays from the sun our skin produces cholecalciferol which travels to the liver and there is changed, then makes its way to the kidney and changed yet again to the active form of vitamin D. As levels of vitamin D increase, calcium levels in the blood are precisely regulated.
WHAT ARE THE RECOMMNED INTAKES?
-Below 5 years - 35 IU per pound per day (25 mcg = 1000 IU) -5-10 years - 2500 IU or 60 mcg -Adults - 5000 IU or 125 mcg -Pregnant woman - 5000 IU or 125 mcg
HOW MUCH SUN SHOULD I GET?
During the winter at midday at an interval of 25 minutes we can produce up to 1,000 IUs of vitamin D. Of course there is not a one size fits all because there are many factors that will affect this process. Factors include skin color including tan level (darker skin might need up to 6 times more exposure to produce same results), time in the sun, weather conditions, latitude and altitude (even though it might be colder, UV radiation is more intense the higher the altitude due to less atmosphere to absorb the rays), time of day, use of sunscreen, clothing, and overall health. If our liver or kidneys are damaged from such things as NSAIDS or alcohol then the vitamin D production will affected.
This website: http://nadir.nilu.no/~olaeng/fastrt/VitD-ez_quartMED.html we can plug in our latitude and longitude, elevation, skin type, time of day, sky condition, and type of surface that we are on. A fun handy tool to see how much sun exposure we need each day.
WHAT IF I CAN'T SPEND MUCH TIME OUTSIDE?
If you are having trouble getting outside or you just don't like being outside then you must supplement! Taking the right amount with a combination of a vitamin K supplement will ensure that you get and keep proper levels of Vitamin D.
Ask us about our Vitamin D supplements and how it can help you!
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