Does Sunscreen Block Vitamin D? Fact or Myth, Let’s find out!

Sunscreen is the one step in your skin care routine you should never skip. UV (ultraviolet) rays are always present, even if it’s not summer and you can’t feel the sun’s rays on your skin. The fact that sunscreen shields your skin from the sun’s wide range of damaging UV rays is one of the most evident and significant advantages of using it.

Sunscreen actually reduces the amount of UV rays that enter the skin and cause a range of skin conditions. The general benefits of sunscreen are – keeping our complexion even; helps in defense against visible signs of early aging and reduced risk of skin cancer.

• Does sunscreen prevent absorption of vitamin D?
• Vitamin D Levels: What Do They Mean?
• Factors That Affect Your Vitamin D Levels
• Keeping Vitamin D Levels Healthy

Does sunscreen prevent absorption of vitamin D?

Not at all. It is true that sunscreen blocks UVB rays, which are shortwave solar radiation essential for the skin’s production of vitamin D. Although sunscreen inhibits UVB rays, there is no proof that doing so prevents the body from producing enough vitamin D. Without sunscreen, you put yourself at risk for UVB damage, which can result in sunburn and even skin cancer. Despite the fact that UVB rays have been shown to stimulate vitamin D synthesis, there is still no solid proof that using sunscreen leads to a vitamin D deficiency.

Another practical consideration is that users often aren’t vitamin D deficient because most individuals (unfortunately) apply sunscreen far less than the advised amount of 2mg/cm2, which lets your skin exposed to undesired (or desired) UVB rays.

Having said that, you can still acquire enough vitamin D to maintain healthy bones by wearing sunscreen every day. According to some observational studies, sunscreen should still be worn often because it does not result in a vitamin D deficit in real-world situations. The quantity of sunscreen you use can affect how well your body produces vitamin D. The degree of sun protection offered by sunscreens with various SPF values varies.

For instance, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 will block 93% of UVB rays, whereas one with an SPF of 30 will block 97%. However, your body doesn’t truly require so much time in the sun to make vitamin D. In fact, your body can manufacture enough vitamin D to stay healthy with just 10 to 15 minutes of sun exposure a few times per week.

For Kids, the American Academy of Dermatology officially recommends using sunscreen and other sun protective measures at all times when playing outdoors, such as hats, sunglasses, skin-protective clothing (with SPF in it) and limiting outdoor activity to early morning or late afternoon. The American Academy of Dermatology’s position statement explains that “Vitamin D should not be obtained from unprotected exposure to UV radiation.” In other words, due to the risk of skin cancer, it is never recommended to be outside without sunscreen intentionally to gain exposure to the sunlight in order to produce vitamin D.

Vitamin D Levels: What Do They Mean?

If your levels are below 30ng/ml, you are not getting nearly enough vitamin D and you should talk to your physician about taking supplements.The Skin Cancer Foundation explains what your vitamin D levels signify as follows:

• 30ng/mL to 50ng/mL: If your levels are in this range, your vitamin D intake is normally sufficient for the health of your bones and body as a whole.
• 50ng/mL and up: If your levels are higher than 50ng/mL, you are getting enough vitamin D, but you shouldn’t take any more.
• 125ng/mL and up: If your levels are higher than 125ng/mL, you may be consuming too much vitamin D, which could have negative effects.

Factors That Affect Your Vitamin D Levels

There are many factors that can affect the level of Vitamin D in your body. For example, the location you live in may have a significant impact on your vitamin D levels. If you reside in an area that is often cold and farther from the equator, you may need to take supplements since you are less likely to get enough vitamin D throughout the winter.

Air quality could have an impact on your vitamin D levels as well. Carbon particles in the air caused by burning fossil fuels and wood may hinder the synthesis of vitamin D. Additionally, the color of your skin matters. Lighter skin tones normally need less UVB radiation to produce vitamin D since they have less melanin than darker skin tones.

Your vitamin D levels might also be impacted by age and weight. According to several research, it’s harder to manufacture vitamin D when you’re obese. Additionally, compared to younger people, older persons are more vulnerable to vitamin D insufficiency.

Keeping Vitamin D Levels Healthy

Your bones and general health depend on keeping your vitamin D levels good. In contrast, there are alternative methods besides sun exposure for obtaining vitamin D. You can receive vitamin D by consuming certain foods, such as fatty fish, egg yolks, milk, cod liver oil, and orange juice.

You can also take supplements if your diet does not provide you with enough vitamin D. You may ensure that your vitamin D levels stay healthy by taking vitamin D tablets. Just be careful to discuss supplement use with your physician before beginning so you can determine the ideal dosage for you.

Did you find this article relevant? Feel free to comment below. Curious about the connection between “Vitamin D and Hair Loss”? Checkout this article.

References:

1. Featured image by Karolina Grabowska
2. Neale RE, Khan SR, Lucas RM, Waterhouse M, Whiteman DC, Olsen CM. The effect of sunscreen on vitamin D: a review. Br J Dermatol. 2019 Nov;181(5):907-915. [Pubmed]
3. van der Pols JC, et al. Prolonged prevention of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin by regular sunscreen use. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006; 15: 2546– 2548.[PubMed]
4. Darlington S, et al. A randomized controlled trial to assess sunscreen application and beta carotene supplementation in the prevention of solar keratoses. Arch Dermatol 2003; 139: 451– 455. [PubMed]
5. Naylor MF, et al. High sun protection factor sunscreens in the suppression of actinic neoplasia. Arch Dermatol 1995; 131: 170– 175.[PubMed]
6. Thompson SC, Jolley D, Marks R. Reduction of solar keratoses by regular sunscreen use. N Engl J Med 1993; 329: 1147– 1151.[PubMed]

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