Wondering whether the summer sun is sufficient to give you your necessary levels of Vitamin D? Here’s what you need to know.
What to know about vitamin D
Many of us take multivitamins, from suppliers like https://www.vitortho.co.uk/supplements/categories/multivitamins/, to safeguard our health, but vitamin D is unusual as our bodies can manufacture it from the sun’s rays. In fact, the sun is one of the best ways for the human body to synthesise vitamin D, which is needed for immunity and a wide range of essential bodily processes.
The challenges of vitamin D and sunshine
However, it’s difficult to work out how much daylight an individual will need each day, because this depends on their skin type, the weather conditions and the season. If it’s winter, even the brightest winter day isn’t enough to stimulate vitamin D production in the body, for example. And in the summer, there’s a risk of sunburn when the sun is too fierce. It is possible to get vitamin D from foods, however, and it can also be sensible to supplement.
How to get vitamin D
It’s sensible to have 20 minutes of sunshine a day in spring and summer, before the sun gets too hot. It’s important not to burn. When UV is particularly strong, wear sunscreen but allow your eyes to be unprotected for a short period of time, as the eyes can help to process vitamin D. It’s also interesting to note that if you expose your back, your body will produce far more vitamin D than if you only allow your hands and face to show. Pale skin also makes vitamin D faster than darker skin tones. Around 15 minutes a day is enough if you have lighter skin, and around 30 minutes for darker skin.
Tinned fish, eggs and fortified cereals and breads are all great ways to get extra vitamin D, but it also makes sense to supplement with a broad-spectrum multivitamin and mineral to set yourself up for success and ensure your body experiences no deficiencies in vitamin D or other essential vitamins.