Sunshine and Vitamin D: How Much Is Too Much?

Sunshine and Vitamin D: How Much Is Too Much?

As the song goes “The Sun Will Come out To-Mor-row”. After what feels like a very long, cold winter Spring is finally here. We can now get outside and enjoy the benefits of that sun.

It is important to remember that sunshine is a great source of Vitamin D. And there is a lot of research and information being shared today about this very hot topic of Vitamin D and the benefits it can have on your health.

But it can get confusing and you may be asking yourself, “Do I need Vitamin D?”, “How much should I take?” and “how can it help me?”.

Let me explain what I know based on the most recent research. Vitamin D is needed by our bones, our thyroid and it may even be potentially beneficial for cancer prevention, to name just a few benefits!

Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium and therefore may strengthen our bones. Balanced levels of Vitamin D can strengthen many aspects of our overall health.

You might not realize this but depending on where you live, and how much sunshine you get throughout the year, you may be at risk for low levels of Vitamin D. You can replenish your supply of Vitamin D by going outdoors and enjoying the long awaited sun. Of course we do not want to put ourselves at risk for skin cancer but short periods of time in the sun (10 minutes at a time, approximately 3 times a week) without sunblock will allow us to absorb some much needed Vitamin D.

You can also eat foods rich in Vitamin D like dairy products, fish, liver, sweet potatoes, etc.) but it may be difficult to get all the Vitamin D you need from diet alone. Vitamin D supplements are often necessary but you have to be sure to take the right amounts for your personal situation and needs.

Recently, The Institute of Medicine published new guidelines for the use of Vitamin D. These guidelines are based on age and suggest the daily intake of Vitamin D is in ranges of 600-800 IU a day. But this suggested intake will depend on many other factors. For one thing, it is felt that patients in their youngest and oldest years likely need the most Vitamin D for support of their bones. Additionally the amount of Vitamin D that you need will also depend on where you live, how much sun you are exposed to, how much sunblock you use, your body weight and any other illnesses you may be dealing with- to name a few.

If you want to get a good idea of your actual Vitamin D levels, I recommend having them checked by a Physician. This is typically done with a blood test called “25 hydroxy Vitamin D”. It is generally thought that women are at risk for deficiency if the blood levels are less than 30 nmol/L. If your levels are considered deficient then you may want to see your Doctor again in 3 months, and with routine follow up until your Vitamin D is at it’s optimal level for you. Then this level can be checked on a yearly basis. But to start out, you need to know the results of the Vitamin D blood test so that you and your Physician can make a more accurate assessment of what level of supplements you need.

So enjoy the Spring sunshine while remembering your usual precautions to avoid sunburn and overexposure. And ask your Doctor about your Vitamin D levels. Getting your Vitamin D levels optimized will help you get a jump start on getting active now that Spring has Sprung!

To Your Good Health!

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