Does Sunscreen Prevent Vitamin D Absorption?
Vitamin D is needed by our body to maintain optimal health. It performs various functions in our body, including maintaining normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. It also helps in the absorption of calcium, which helps in maintaining strong bones.
Lack of vitamin D causes severe complications, especially in children; it leads to a harmful disease named rickets, which causes the bones to soften. Estimates show that nearly 40% of American adults face the issue of vitamin D deficiency. Apart from this, there are severe issues that arise due to lack of vitamin D, such as;
- Cancer
- Depression
- Osteoporosis
- Muscles weakness
Sunlight and Vitamin D
The best source of vitamin D is the sun. That's why it is also called the sunshine vitamin. It is made from the cholesterol present in your skin when it is exposed to the sun. That's why it is recommended to get enough sunlight if you want to maintain optimum vitamin D levels.
What happens is when we expose our skin to sunlight, the sun's ultraviolet B (UVB) rays strike the cholesterol present in the skin cells and provide energy for vitamin D synthesis to take place. That's how our body gets the required amount of vitamin D through the sunlight.
Bear this thing in mind that the sun's UVB rays cannot penetrate through the windows. You have to expose your body to direct sunlight even if you are working next to sunny windows.
However, make sure to set upper limits. Avoid exposing your body to too much sunlight as it may lead to several health risks. Let's discuss how you can get vitamin D safely from the sun and find out the impact of using sunscreen on vitamin D absorption. How much time you should expose your body to the sun depends on the sensitivity of your skin.
When You Need Vitamin D Supplements?
If you cannot get enough sunlight from the sun, doctors advise taking vitamin D supplements such as cod liver oil. A tablespoon (14 grams) of cod liver oil contains more than three times recommended daily amount of vitamin D.
Harmful Effects of Exposing Yourself to too much sunlight
As mentioned earlier, too much sunlight can be harmful to the skin; here are the dangers of exposing your body to too much sunlight.
· It Causes Sunburns
Sunburns are the most common of exposing your body to too much sunlight. Common symptoms of sunburn include redness, swelling, tenderness, and blisters.
· May Damage the Eyes
Exposing your body to the sun for long periods can damage the retina, which increases the risk of eye diseases like cataracts.
· Causes Skin Ageing
Spending too much time in the sun can cause your skin to age faster. Resultantly you experience wrinkles on your skin, and it becomes loose or leathery.
· May Cause Heat Stroke
This condition occurs when your body's core temperature rises due to exposure to too much heat or sun.
· Too Much Exposure to UV Light can Cause Skin Cancer.
This is the most dangerous complication and occurs when your body is exposed to too much UV light.
· The Appearance of the Skin Changes
You may experience notable changes in your skin when you are exposed to too much sunlight. For example, you may observe the appearance of moles, freckles, and other such changes.
How to Save Yourself from Too Much Exposure to Sunlight?
Having understood the harmful effects of exposing yourself to too much sunlight, you might be wondering how you save yourself from too much exposure to sunscreen, especially when you are working in harsh environmental conditions. The best solution is applying sunscreen.
Sunscreen – What is it, and what are its Benefits?
Sunscreen or sunblock is lotion, gel, spray, or foam applied to the skin to protect it from the harmful effects of the sun. It's best to apply sunscreen after 10 – 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure. Applying sunscreen will help you avoid the detrimental consequences of excessive sunlight.
It is advised to apply sunscreen after every two to three hours that you spend in the sun, particularly if you are bathing or sweating.
Does Sunscreen Affect Vitamin D?
Many people avoid wearing sunscreen, complaining that it alters the absorption of vitamin D required by our body. Hence, they believe they fail in getting the required amount of vitamin D even after sitting in the sun. Let's find out how true they are in their claim.
As mentioned earlier, sunscreen protects against sunburn and skin cancer. It does so because it contains certain chemicals that either reflects, absorb or scatter sunlight. As a result of applying sunscreen, your skin is exposed to minimal levels of harmful UV rays.
However, these UVB rays are needed to synthesize vitamin D, so applying sunscreen can prevent skin from producing it. This claim is not valid.
Wearing sunscreen might reduce the ability to produce vitamin D. Studies have shown that it has little to no impact on blood levels. There is very little evidence of a reduction in vitamin D levels by applying sunscreen.
Staying in the sun for longer durations can provide you the subsequent amount of vitamin D even though you are wearing sunscreen.
SPF of Sunscreen
How much vitamin D you will get while wearing sunscreen also depends on the SPF of the sunscreen. SPF is the Sun Protection Factor that tells us how long the sun’s UVB rays will take to redden your skin.
If you are using a sunscreen with having SPF of 15, then 93% of the rays are blocked, and you will still be exposed to enough sun and get enough vitamin D. So, spending about one hour in the sun while wearing a sunscreen of SPF 15 will provide you vitamin D to a healthy range. In contrast, if you are not wearing sunscreen, you will get the same amount of vitamin D within 10 minutes.
Final Thoughts
Exposing your body to the sun is an ideal way to get the required amount of vitamin D. However, excessive exposure is liked to significant side effects. The best way to protect yourself from the harmful UVB rays of the sun is by wearing sunscreen. This sunscreen will protect you from harmful skin damages and make sure that you get enough amount of vitamin D to stay healthy.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30945275/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/05/190509115443.htm
