HOW MUCH VITAMIN D?

HOW MUCH VITAMIN D TO TAKE?
It’s the latest, and always has been since time memorable, the greatest vitamin, but what’s the safe and effective dose?
New research on vitamin D is showing that most Australians are deficient, and that a lack of it may be contributing to breast cancer, colon cancer, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis and fibro myalgia, just to name a few. In fact, if you work inside, like in an office and use sunscreen when you do go outside, you’re very likely to be vitamin D deficient.

You can get some vitamin D from food, and of course you can take supplements, but the very best, safest and most reliable source of vitamin D is sunshine!!
No doubt about it.
But haven’t we been warned away from sun exposure? Won’t it cause cancer and wrinkles? Well, yes and no. Our hysteria about sun damage is grossly exaggerated. It’s one of those myths that have been repeated so much that most everyone assumes it to be true. The sunscreen industry has done a great job selling its wares by scaring us about sun exposure. However, if you dig down and do some research it’s a different story. A very different story.

Yes, if you repeatedly get sunburned you somewhat increase your risk of non-melanoma skin cancer. The fairer the skin, the more easily it is sunburned. By far the biggest risk for skin cancer is simply having fair skin—with or without sunscreen. There is absolutely no substantial evidence that using sunscreen protects you from skin cancer. In fact there is a growing concern that it may even contribute. There is a weak association between melanoma and sunburn, but there is no evidence that using sunscreen prevents melanoma. There is some research indicating that exposure to the sun as a child reduces the risk of melanoma.
The take-home lesson is to avoid getting sunburned. One way to avoid sunburn is to tan gradually. Start with five minutes a day in the sun and work up slowly. Being tanned repeatedly over many years may cause you to wrinkle sooner, but it’s unlikely to substantially increase your risk of skin cancer. And nothing on the face of our planet will stop you from aging ,you cannot become 60 years of age without a wrinkle on you body anywhere. It’s one of life’s facts that you get old and wrinkle. We all know that!
THE DOSE? It just takes 15 to 20 minutes in the mid-day sun, three to four times a week, to provide you with adequate vitamin D. Now if you’re pale as a galss of milk, don’t go right out and sit in the sun for 20 minutes or you’ll get burned. Work up to it.

References:<a href=”“>”Vitamin D”… for quality of life. KD Boyes 2006Berwick M, Armstrong BK et al, “Sun exposure and mortality from melanoma,” J Natl Cancer Inst 2005; 97: 195–99.
Boscoe FP, Schymura MJ, “Solar ultraviolet-B exposure and cancer incidence and mortality in the United States, 1993-2002,” BMC Cancer 2006 Nov 10;6:264.
Dennis LK, Beane Freeman LE et al, “Sunscreen use and the risk for melanoma: a quantitative review,” Ann Intern Med
2003; 139: 966–78.
Ginanjar E, Sumariyono SS et al, “Vitamin d and autoimmune disease,” Acta Med Indones 2007 Oct-Dec;39(3):133-41.
Grant WB, “An estimate of premature cancer mortality in the U.S. due to inadequate doses of solar ultraviolet-B radiation,” Cancer 2002; 94: 1867–75.
Holick MF, “Sunlight “D”ilemma: risk of skin cancer or bone disease and muscle weakness,” Lancet 2001; 357: 4–6.
Lin J, Manson JE et al, “Intakes of calcium and vitamin D and breast cancer risk in women,” Arch Intern Med 2007 May 28;167(10):1050-9.
Robien K, Cutler GJ et al, “Vitamin D intake and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women: the Iowa Women’s Health Study,” Cancer Causes Control 2007 Sep;18(7):775-82.
Solomon CC, White E et al “Melanoma and lifetime UV radiation,” Cancer Causes Control 2004 Nov;15(9):893-902.
Thieden E, Philipsen PA et al, “Sunscreen use related to UV exposure, age, sex, and occupation based on personal dosimeter readings and sun-exposure behavior diaries,” Arch Dermatol 2005; 141: 967–73.
Get my e-book on Vitamin D here