Sunshine and vitamin D3

The UK is well known for its rainy days but many people do not realise that a lack of sunshine can cause a vitamin D3 deficiency. Those living in parts of the country which tend to get less hours of sun, such as Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England, are particularly at risk of suffering from low levels of vitamin D3 in their bodies.

Sunshine has been much maligned in the UK in recent years, after a sharp increase in the number of people suffering skin cancer. The ‘sun safe’ message has been heeded closely by many with sun lotions applied regularly on children and adults on sunny days and a wide recognition that it is important to stay in the shade or cover up during the hottest hours of the day.

Of course this advice is important to remember, as the UVB rays that travel from the sun can be harmful to our skin. However, UVB rays do have an important role to play in encouraging our bodies to produce vitamin D3 so the dangers of the sun’s rays must be weighed against the benefits that they also bring us.

Why do we need Vitamin D3?

Vitamin D3 has been shown to be vital in the development of healthy bones and muscles, as well as being a factor in preventing other conditions. For example, children who take vitamin D supplements in early life appear to have a significantly reduced chance of developing type 1 diabetes.

The most well known consequence of a vitamin D deficiency is the development of rickets. For many years rickets seemed to be largely a problem of the past but numbers have increased fivefold since 1997.

Studies into vitamin D deficiency have revealed some startling statistics:

• More than 50% of the UK population are deficient in vitamin D
• 16% suffer severe deficiency in winter and spring
• The elderly, obese and those with malabsorption are particularly at risk

Those with pigmented skin are also more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency in the UK as far more exposure to sunlight is required to synthesise the same amount of this vital chemical compared to the light end of the skin tone spectrum.

Sources of Vitamin D in the diet

It is true that Vitamin D3 can be obtained through certain elements of the diet, such as oily fish, eggs and especially fortified foods such as cereals and spreads. However as can be seen from the 50% deficiency rate, a great number of people are not meeting their required levels of this vitamin through diet.

Vitamin D supplements are available from many health food shops and supermarkets, and are recommended by the Department of Health for the following groups:

• All children aged 6 months to 5 years
• All pregnant and breastfeeding women
• All people aged over 65
• Anyone who is housebound or who has limited sun exposure
• People with darker skin tones

How can I get enough vitamin D from the sun?

It is impossible to give a ‘one size fits all’ answer to this question as elements such as latitude, time of year, age and skin pigmentation can have a huge effect on how much vitamin D is produced by the body when exposed to sunlight.

With this in mind, it becomes very difficult to give a set period of time to spend in the sunshine to synthesise enough vitamin D3. However, it is generally understood that between 15 and 30 minutes of exposure will be sufficient for most people. The torso produces the most, followed by legs and arms, but the hands and face produce very little.

Sun lotion blocks a very high percentage (usually 90% + even for SPF8) of vitamin D3 production so this time in the sun should be spent without UV protection.

However, it remains important to apply sun lotion regularly and liberally during the hottest hours of the day. Please see our advice on how to apply sun lotion.

Please note that you should never let your skin become burnt or reddened during UV exposure.

In the UK and many other areas of the world, sunlight during the winter months may not be enough to create enough vitamin D3 so it is important to consider increasing dietary intake to compensate.

Please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other health professional for information about the appropriate dosage. They may also be able to help with testing for vitamin D deficiency.