Recently, I came across this article in the New York Times. It does not surprise me that sunshine in moderation (like anything else, pretty much) can have positive effects on people’s health. However, my family is rather prone to skin cancer and my doctor has recommended that I not go outside without being lathered up with SPF 45.
My question is this: as I am not supposed to be exposed to the sun and there are definite benefits to be seen from Vitamin D, should I be taking a Vitamin D supplement to make up for the lack of sunshine in my life?

**note: I am double posting this at HerPort as well, so if you’ve answered it here, you don’t have to answer it there. Thanks!

The article I have here on vitamin D says that while your skin manufactures vitamin D-which is really a hormone not a vitamin when sunlight hits the skin..

you can also get your vitamin D in the form of supplements and in fortified milk and fatty fish.

This source on this is the National Osteoporosis foundation..

At a minimun of vitamin D everyday is 200 IU if your between the ages of 19 and 50, 400 IU if your beteen the ages of 51-69 and 600 if your over 70 which im sure your not

But experts say...who study the vitamin D suggest more may be better as much as 800 to 1,000 IU daily! Hope this helps you. it did me too..

You probably need a little sunshine on your skin now and again...

Consider going out in the late afternoon without all the sunblock... I am very fair and also go out with SPF 30+ but I try to get some sun once in awhile...

I have eczema and the doctor says that sunlight is good for it, so it's not unbelievable that skin needs some exposure to sun to stay healthy... it makes sense to me.

Oh, I agree some exposure is basically healthy. The thing is, my doctor has already told me NOT to be exposed. I don't have that option.

Yeah, I thought I should jump in on this pale fest right here...I'm white, real white, and the paler you are (duh..) the easier the blazing ball of death can effect you. Darker skinned people need longer exposure to the sun for Vitamin D and light skinned people need less exposure for it. So, you shouldn't need to sit out in the sun for hours upon hours...a few minutes a day will do it. When you walk to get your mail in the morning...or walk the dog during the day, that is plenty of exposure for you!

Elexina...

I think you should get a second opinion.

Why?

Because a doctor who is telling you that you shouldn't expose your skin to sunlight at all seems to be a bit questionable.

I could understand if your doc said you shouldn't stay out in the sun or you shouldn't go out at certain times of day unprotected... but none at all is the opposite extreme and could cause negative results. You might not get skin cancer but you might suffer from other skin ailments without some sunlight.

I'm just thinking that if it were me, I'd go to a different doctor to double check. Maybe a dermatologist...

I would just like to offer up, that if you eat a balanced normal diet, then it is virtually impossible to have a deficiency of vitamin D, so it should not be a problem. Also all milk in the USA is I believe fortified with vitamin D - I'm from the UK so correct me if I'm wrong on that.

Synhtesis of UV rays eventually produces calcitriol, a form of vitamin D which is as Samantha says more a hormone really. The general feeling is that 1 hours exposure a week to normal sun conditions, provides enough Vitamin D for the body's needs anyway. So in early morning or late evening sunshine, there shouldn't really be a problem.

Thank you.