Download The Vitamin D Controversy

Go Sun Smart:
Sun Safety and Vitamin D
The sun has several benefits, one of which is that it helps your skin manufacture Vitamin D. The
benefits of Vitamin D are well documented. It is an important nutrient that helps the body
maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphorous in the blood, which are important for strong
bones and prevention of rickets. Vitamin D may even help in preventing some cancers.
Recent reports in the media about the importance of Vitamin D for your health have raised
questions about whether sun protection practices, such as using sunscreen, lead to Vitamin D
deficiency. Some people in the U.S. - older adults, people who are obese, women, and darker
skinned individuals – can have low Vitamin D levels, but exactly how much is needed to be healthy
is still being debated by health experts.
Boosting your level of Vitamin D and being sun safe are completely compatible. As The American
Academy of Dermatology recommends, the best way to make sure you are getting enough Vitamin
D is though diet and nutritional supplement---- not by spending a long time in the sun without
protection and exposing yourself to the risks of UV radiation. In fact, scientific evidence shows that
light skinned people only need 15 minutes of unprotected exposure to the sun twice a week to
meet their need for Vitamin D. Also, in several studies, people who used sunscreen had no less
Vitamin D than people who did not use a sun protection product.
Rather than putting yourself at greater risk for skin damage, consider taking a supplement and
increasing your intake of foods rich in Vitamin D such as fish, fortified milk and margarine, egg
yolks, liver, Swiss cheese, and fortified breakfast cereals.
The average person receives enough sun exposure for adequate amounts of Vitamin D without
spending long periods in the sun. After initial exposure, sun protection (such as cover-up clothes
and sunscreen) is important to prevent over-exposure and sunburn.
For more information, please visit the Go Sun Smart website at www.gosunsmart.org
Go Sun Smart: All Day, Every Day!