Black Hills Health and Education Center

^{But day by day the pale are being robbed and starved of calcium in the bones. The reason: a light tan is essential for vitamin D production. When inadequate amounts of vitamin D (a hormone that begins to be manufactured by the stimulus of sun UVB rays on a cholesterol derived fat in the skin) are produced we absorb less calcium from the gut and tend to leach more calcium from the bones.}

^{Actually the benefits of the sun-derived vitamin D extend far beyond bone health. Higher vitamin D levels are associated with less cancer (even skin cancer), less autoimmune disease, less hypertension, less preeclampsia (pregnency induced hypertension), less depression, less hyperlipidemia, and less infection.}

^{Fair-skinned individuals can only afford to spend a short time in direct sunlight due to lack of natural sun screen. But that's okay because 15-20 minutes of sun exposure in these individuals results in sufficient tanning to generate as much as 10-20,000 Units of vitamin D ( African-Americans need 2 hours of sun exposure to achieve an equivalent amount of vitamin D production).}

^{Besides being African-American, obese and elderly individuals, as well as those living more than 40 degrees above or below the equator are especially at risk of vitamin D deficiency during the winter and spring months. If you fall within one of these categories taking a supplement at a minimum dose of 1,000 U a day, and for greater security 2,000 U a day would be helpful.}

^{Better yet a blood test (25-OH vitamin D) should be performed - ideally using the chemiluminescence method, LIAISON; LabCorp uses it.}

^{If your level is <32ng/dl you are vitamin D deficient. Some sources indicate that unless your level is >50ng/dl the supplemented vitamin D isn't captured and stored by the tissues for later use. On the other hand a blood level >100ng/dl is believed to be toxic.

Rather than be robbed, starved, and pale, get a sensible dose of sunshine between the hours of 10AM-3 PM, to as much skin as possible, and be D-lighted.

Michael Olivier, MD}