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Effective sunscreen and yet a vitamin D supply?
In summer, our skin is exposed to strong sunlight, so it is important to protect against sunburn. But our body needs the sun to make vitamin D. The vitamin is very important for healthy bones. The National Health Service UK (NHS) has published a small guide on how to get enough sunbeams without risking sun damage.
The main source of vitamin D production in our body is sunlight. We need vitamin D so that the body can absorb calcium and phosphorus from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones and teeth. If we ingest too little of the vitamin, vitamin D deficiency can arise. This will make the bones softer and weaker, which in turn can lead to bone deformation, experts from the National Health Service explain in their guide. For example, in children, vitamin D deficiency can lead to rickets. In adults, a so-called osteomalacia can develop, an extremely painful bone softening. So how do we absorb enough sunlight without endangering our skin??
Sunlight is an important component of the production of vitamin D. Thus, the human needs the rays of the sun, but also wants to avoid sunburn. Which behavior is right, especially in the hot season? (Image: paultarasenko / fotolia.com) How does our body actually get vitamin D??
We produce most of the vitamin D by direct sunlight on the skin. The best time to make vitamin D from the sunlight is from March to October - especially from 11:00 to 15:00 clock, explain the doctors. The body can also get vitamin D from some foods. These include fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. We can also absorb vitamin D via eggs and meat. In general, baby milk is supplemented with vitamin D, including breakfast cereals, soya products, dairy products and powdered milk. However, the added amounts are small and vary among different products, add the authors.
How long should people stay in the sun for a maximum??
Most people make enough vitamin D if their forearms, hands or lower legs are exposed to the sun daily for a short time, especially between March and October, the experts say. A short time means only a few minutes. About ten to fifteen minutes are quite enough for most people with lighter skin. This time is still low enough to prevent redness and sunburn. It is unlikely that additional benefits will be gained if you stay longer in the sun, the doctors explain. People with darker skin need to spend a longer amount of time in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D. How long it takes for the skin to turn red or for sunburn varies from person to person. They can not make vitamin D when they sit in the sun behind a closed window, as no UV-B rays can penetrate through the glass, the experts say. However, you can still get a sunburn. The longer you stay in the sun, at worst without sunscreen, the greater the risk of developing skin cancer. If you are in the sun for a long time, protect your upper body with suitable clothing. Find the shade more often and use a sunscreen with a SPF of at least 15, advise the doctors.
Babies, children and sun
Children under six months should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Especially from March to October, children should wear clothes to protect themselves from the sun and use sunscreen with at least SPF 15. It is often recommended to give vitamin D supplements to children under the age of five, even if they have been outdoors during the day, the experts say.
Risk groups for the development of vitamin D deficiency
Some populations in our population are at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency, and these people are advised to take vitamin D supplements on a daily basis, the NHS doctors explain. These groups include, for example, all babies and toddlers from six months to five years old, the elderly over 65, people who are generally out of the sun, pregnant and breastfeeding women should take vitamin D supplementation to their own to cover their own needs for vitamin D and to provide their babies with enough vitamin D..
Vitamin supplements or vitamin D with Vitamin D can be purchased in most pharmacies and larger supermarkets. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure if you have a vitamin D deficiency, the authors suggest.
Overdose of vitamin D?
People who take vitamin D supplements should not consume more than 25 micrograms of vitamin D per day. A higher daily dose could be harmful to our body, the experts warn. Sometimes the amount in dietary supplements is expressed in international units (IU). 40 IUs correspond to one microgram. There is no danger of producing too much vitamin D due to sun exposure, the doctors explain. Here is the danger rather with sunburn. (As)