Vitamin D Deficiencies Caused by Sunscreen

You MUST take Vitamin D to prevent inflammation if you use sunscreen, are overweight or have dark skin pigmentation.  In the name of vanity and in order to prevent melanoma, many of us have been brainwashed in applying sunscreen at the very thought of light; resulting in vitamin D deficiency being more common than ever.
Not being deficient does not mean sufficient!
Controversy rages over what constitutes “deficiency” versus “sufficiency”. Alternatively, optimal therapeutic levels may be appropriate for various health concerns.
Guidelines for prevention of rickets, for example, may be inadequate for prevention or reversal of osteoporosis.
Did you know that low levels of vitamin D have been linked to following health issues:

• Obesity
• Cardiovascular disease
• Respiratory infections
• Hypertension
• Chronic tension-type headache
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune diseases (the incidence of certain autoimmune diseases correlates positively with latitude from the equator, as reflected by the epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Joint pain
• Cancer (biological plausibility for the impact of vitamin D in cancer prevention, recognizing the vitamin’s effects on cell proliferation, oncogenesis, and apoptosis)

Where do you get vitamin D from?Unlike other essential vitamins, which must be obtained from food, vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin through a photosynthetic reaction triggered by exposure to UVB radiation. The efficiency of production depends on the number of UVB photons that penetrate the skin, a process that can be curtailed by clothing, excess body fat, sunscreen, and the skin pigment melanin. For most white people, a half-hour in the summer sun in a bathing suit can initiate the release of 50,000 IU (1.25 mg) vitamin D into the circulation within 24 hours of exposure; this same amount of exposure yields 20,000-30,000 IU in tanned individuals and 8,000-10,000 IU in dark-skinned people.
What are the top 3 food sources with highest vitamin D IU per serving?

• Cod liver oil 1 tbsp.- 1,360 IU
• Salmon 3 oz. – 794 IU
• Mackerel 3 oz. – 388 IU

You can get full menu plans and read more on optimizing your nutrient levels in Eric Braverman, MD’s bestseller book Younger (Thinner) You as well as his newly released book Younger (Sexier) You!  Both books are available at Total Health Nutrients
How much Vitamin D do you need?Vitamin D is available in two forms: D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol).  Studies have shown D3 to be more than three times as effective as Vitamin D2 in raising serum 25(OH)D concentrations and maintaining those levels for a longer time, and its metabolites seem to have superior affinity for vitamin D-binding proteins in plasma.  Eric Braverman, MD, recommends that everyone looking for anti-aging and to simply ensure optimal health takes a supplement containing 50,000 IU 1 x weekly in addition to supplementing daily with 5000 IU. High-dosage Vitamin D3 supplements are available at Total Health Nutrients.
References:
Mead N. Benefits of Sunlight: A Bright Spot for Human Health. Environ Health Perspect. 2008 April; 116(4): A160-A167
Prakash S, Shah ND. Chronic tension-type headache with vitamin D deficiency: casual or causal association? Headache. 2009 Sep;49(8):1214-22. Epub 2009 Jul 8.
Sahota O. Osteoporosis and the role of vitamin D and calcium-vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D insufficiency and vitamin D sufficiency. Age Ageing. 2000 Jul;29(4):301-4.
Tucker MA. Sun exposure measurements in populations. Nutr Rev. 2007 Aug;65(8):S84-6.