Vitamin D and your skin

Does wearing hats, sunglasses and sunblock prevent our body from receiving Vitamin d?

The short answer is Yes.

If you have:

• darker skin,
• if your skin is covered,
• in winter time or
• if there is cloud cover

then you are not receiving enough sunlight to convert 7 dehydrocholesterol to the active vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

If you have low Vitamin D levels what can happen?

• Low Mood
• Brittle bones
• Increase risk of diabetes
• Muscle pain
• Increase risk of a cardio vascular event

How to increase Vitamin D level?

You need UVB rays on the skin for 20-30 minutes a days for darker skin. Avoid the face area, it is better to expose other areas of skin e.g. arms and legs as the surface area is larger and it will not trigger melasma.

Consume fatty fish, mushrooms, eggs, yolk and fortified food e.g. cows milk and cereal, supplements D3 cholecaciferol