Sunlight vitamin d1/8/2024 ![]() ![]() In particular, supplements seem to be crucial for people with a rare genetic disorder called xeroderma pigmentosum, or XP. “You have to really be a shut in to not get what you need,” he says.Ĭertain members of the population who don’t get much sun exposure-such as elderly nursing home residents who don’t spend a lot of time outside and people in cold places who stay indoors during wintertime-have a greater chance of vitamin D deficiency, especially if they don’t take supplements. Indeed, Americans get between 40 and 90 minutes of incidental exposure each day, on average, according to Rigel. Rigel says that most people soak up sufficent sunlight every day by simply going about their daily routines. What about the adage that you must carve out 10 to 15 extra minutes in the sun daily to make enough active vitamin D? (Vitamin D obtained from food or supplements must also follow that metabolic pathway to become active.) When the sun’s ultraviolet rays touch the skin, they convert the precursor to a molecule called vitamin D 3, which then follows a metabolic pathway through the liver and finally to the kidneys, where it’s converted into a molecule called calcitriol. Here’s how it happens: Our skin naturally contains a precursor to vitamin D. Rather, ultraviolet radiation “converts the vitamin D in your skin to its usable form.” Rigel, clinical professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. “The sun does not create vitamin D,” says Darrell S. There’s a common misconception about our star’s role, however. Unlike other organic compounds that can only be acquired through diet or supplements, however, you can also get the recommended amount of vitamin D with a little help from the sun. Smith, manager for Nutritional Biochemistry at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Still, vitamin D is so important to health that, for example, it’s “the one supplement we provide to our astronauts,” says Scott M. Taking supplements can provide sufficient amounts, too-although that’s not an ideal approach, according to some experts, who say that getting the vitamin naturally is best. You can obtain it from a few foods, including oily fish such as salmon and tuna, fortified milk, juice, and cereal. Inadequate amounts of vitamin D can also lead to a weakened immune system.Īdults need between 600 to 800 international units (the way the vitamin is measured) of vitamin D a day. Children with insufficient vitamin D can develop soft bones, putting them at risk for rickets, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Without the vitamin, you could develop brittle bones, increasing the chance of getting osteoporosis when you’re older. Vitamin D is essential to healthy bones, because it helps you absorb calcium, which strengthens your skeleton. Participate using the hashtag #ExplainTheSun. ![]() ![]() This article is part of the SciFri Science Club’s Explain the Sun activity. ![]()
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