May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and for good reason — skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and the deadliest form is caused by exposure to UVB light. We are exposed to UVB through direct sunlight or tanning beds. To reduce your risk of getting skin cancer, experts recommend limiting your exposure to UVB light by covering up in protective clothing, wearing sunscreen and not relying on the sun or tanning beds to get tan.
Nutritionally speaking, this creates a quandary, since our body is able to magically manufacture vitamin D from UVB light. Why does this matter? It turns out, vitamin D is incredibly important to our health in many different ways. It’s clearly needed for bone health, but more recent research has shown that it may play a role in helping our body handle glucose, reduce inflammation, maintain a healthy immune system and possibly even prevent cancer. In fact, scientists have discovered vitamin D receptors on cells throughout the entire body, indicating that it likely plays a role in many more body functions than we realize.
[See: 7 Ways to Prevent Skin Cancer.]
The trick to making vitamin D from the sun is that it only works when you aren’t protecting your skin from the sun with sunblock or protective clothing. People with lighter skin need only about 10 minutes in the midday sun, while people with darker skin need more time to make enough vitamin D. Other factors also decrease the efficiency of using the sun for your vitamin D dose, such as cloud coverage or the time of day.
The American Academy of Dermatology advises that we don’t depend on the sun at all for our vitamin D needs, and instead make sure we are getting the vitamin from foods, and if necessary, a supplement. Their reason for this position is simple — we just don’t have the evidence to promote a “safe” level of sun exposure.
It sounds straightforward to simply rely on food, rather than the sun, for our vitamin D. However, very few foods actually contain a significant amount of vitamin D. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 600 IU, or international units, for adults, and up to 800 IU for those over the age of 70. You could take a dose of cod liver oil each day and knock your vitamin D out in one (nauseating) gulp. But, too much cod liver oil presents the problem of getting too much vitamin A, which can be toxic. If you aren’t keen on that, here are the top sources of vitamin D you can focus on consuming, along with the approximate amount of vitamin D in each:
— Swordfish, 3 ounces: 550 IU
— Salmon, 3 oz: 450 IU
— Canned light tuna, 3 oz: 150 IU
— Milk, 1 cup: 120 IU
— Yogurt, 6 oz: 80 IU
— Egg, one, large: 40 IU
[See: 7 Ways to Get Calcium Beyond Milk.]
Some foods are fortified with vitamin D, such as orange juice, soy milk and breakfast cereals. However, check the label to be sure you are grabbing the fortified version.
Another interesting source is mushrooms, but only when they have been exposed to UV light (this will be specified on the label). One cup of diced Portobello mushrooms grown with UV light will provide about 400 IU.
Of course, you can also rely on a supplement to get your vitamin D. It’s hard to overdose on this particular vitamin, but not impossible. Be sure your supplement contains at least the RDA, and no more than 4,000 IU a day — the upper limit of safety for adults supplementing with vitamin D — unless your doctor has advised you otherwise.
[See: These Medicines May Cause Bone Loss.]
The best way to determine whether you need more vitamin D or not is through a simple blood test that your doctor can order. The doctor can also use this blood test to monitor the safety of your supplement dose, and to make recommendations to increase or decrease the amount you’re taking. Of course, always make sure to tell your doctor about any supplements you’re taking, as there may be potential for medication interactions.
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The Vitamin D and Sun Safety Dilemma originally appeared on usnews.com
