With the days getting shorter, the vitamin D question comes up every winter. The honest answer is more specific than the supplement aisle suggests.
What it does
Vitamin D helps the gut absorb calcium and keeps bones from becoming thin or brittle. It prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, and together with calcium it helps protect older adults from osteoporosis.
Where it comes from
Vitamin D is naturally present in only a few foods, is added to others such as fortified milk, and is made by the skin when sunlight hits it – which is why levels can dip when the days get short.
Who needs a test – and who doesn’t
Here is the part worth knowing: the Endocrine Society does not recommend routine vitamin D testing for healthy individuals. Blood levels of 20 ng/mL or more are considered sufficient for most people, while the risk of deficiency rises below 12 ng/mL.
Who should actually have the conversation
Supplementation is a specific discussion, not a blanket rule – infants, the elderly, and people with risk factors should ask their doctor whether they need it and how much.
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Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements. This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please speak to your doctor about your own situation.
It’s still important to put on sunscreen every morning. Even in winter. The suns UV rays dramatically increase photoaging and likelihood of skin cancer.
Sunscreens themselves cause cancer. You can use coconut oil or certain similar all-natural plant oils, if you really want – like if you burn easily. But generally, you need the sun shining on the skin – it produces Vit D and many other physical and emotional benefits from being out in sun. Very important every day. Gemara talks about emotional benefits. The push for sunscreen is pure hype from Big Pharma. Don’t fall for it. Ther are more cancers on areas of skin generally not exposed to sun.
That is completely false. Sunscreens DO NOT cause cancer. And you can’t use coconut oil as a substitute for sunscreen, or any “all natural plant oils”. And you DO NOT “need” the sun shining on skin in order to get vitamin d benefits. Sunscreen doesn’t block 100% of UV rays and you”ll STILL get vitamin d with sunscreen. The emotional benefits of being in the sun are still gained WITH sunscreen protection. Sunscreen is not “hype from Big Pharma”, ask any dermatologist and they will tell you that sunscreen is very important.(Or a google search.) And on your last point, there are many different causes and forms of cancer.
One of the biggest causes for cancer is a vitamin d deficiency.
Yes, and most people are deficient – even in the summer, as they just don’t get enough sunlight. Take one every day (weekday – not Shabbos or Y”T, and can’t take vitamins on Pesach as various concerns). Can’t really overdose on Vit D, as body flushes out extras, but don’t take more than recommended, as requires Vit. K to process, and would use up too much. Some Ds now include K.
@LakewoodYid : You are completely wrong and you do not know what you are talking about! Most people are NOT deficient in vitamin D! And a very small amount of sunlight is needed for body to produce vitamin D.
This isn’t correct. I don’t where you got this information form.
I thought it was owning a smartphone?