How Much Time Should You Spend In The Sun For Vitamin D?
Everyone’s always buzzing about the importance of vitamin D because it’s essential to our wellbeing but so many people simply don’t have enough of it. If you want to avoid being one of those people who suffer from a deficiency, there are ways that you can work to ensure that you’re getting enough vitamin D.
Chances are you’ve heard some major myths about what makes for a good source of vitamin D, especially regarding how you can acquire it. We’re here to debunk those and help you find the truth. Here at Cosmos Vita, we understand how essential it is to ensure that you’re getting all the vitamins that your body needs to help you thrive. Only once you do this are you able to live your very best life.
Today, we're going to answer all of your questions regarding acquiring vitamin D. First, we will provide you with some background on vitamins themselves. Then, we’ll talk about what vitamin D is, and why it is so essential. Afterwards, we’ll discuss vitamin D deficiencies and what can happen to your body with a lack of vitamin D. Finally, we'll discuss how you can get vitamin D and why the way you might be thinking of isn’t the best way.
Ready to learn? Let’s begin.
Some Background on Vitamins
Maybe you grew up hearing all about the importance of taking your vitamins and therefore, know why they’re so crucial to the body’s wellbeing. Or maybe you’re just starting to learn about how taking your vitamins can help support your best overall health. Whatever the case may be, we’re here to help you get some background on vitamins and how they can help support you.
Vitamins are organic compounds that the body requires in small amounts to function properly. They’re naturally present in food products in miniscule amounts. If you don’t get enough of your vitamins through foods, you might have to seek out alternative ways to acquire them--such as through daily supplements. If you have too little of a vitamin, you are at greater risk of developing certain health ailments. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that you’re taking care of yourself and eating products that include these vitamins.
Did you know that there are 13 recognized vitamins? It’s essential that you have enough of each and every one of these. That’s right; just because you have a surplus of vitamin B doesn’t mean you don’t need a sufficient amount of vitamin D. The best way to nurture your body is to guarantee that you’re providing it with all of the vitamins it needs, not just the ones that are convenient.
There are two sub-categories for vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. These two groups differ in the frequency that you need to acquire them. Water soluble vitamins do not linger in the body--and cannot be stored. Therefore, you have to consume them on a regular basis to ensure that you have enough. They exit the body through the urine. These vitamins include C and all of the variations of B.
On the contrary, there are fat-soluble vitamins. These are able to be retained in the body for a longer period of time. The reserves can stick around in your fatty tissue and liver for days or even months. As a result, you don’t usually need as frequent a supply of fat-soluble vitamins, but you should still be sure you’re getting them. This includes vitamins A, D, E, and K. You can help your body absorb these vitamins by getting enough dietary fats.
What is Vitamin D, and Why is it Important?
Now let’s talk about all things vitamin D related. The sunshine vitamin is essential for good health. This is because it assists your body with the absorption of calcium, which is a main component for building strong bones. In addition to helping you have the right calcium levels, vitamin D is responsible for helping protect your bones from developing conditions that make them at greater risk of breaking.
Bone strength isn’t the only reason that your body needs vitamin D, though. Did you know that your body also needs it for muscle movement? Your nerves also rely on vitamin D to help carry messages from the body to the brain. Vitamin D also has an impact on your immune system.
Unfortunately, a lot of people are vitamin D deficiency because it doesn’t occur naturally in a lot of food products. It can be added into some, however, it’s important to get your vitamin D in other ways. If you don’t have enough, you can develop a deficiency--which can lead to big problems.
What Happens if I Have a Vitamin D Deficiency?
If you’re vitamin D deficient, you simply do not have enough of the vitamin in your body to keep it functioning correctly. Because this nutrient is so important, there can be major consequences if you don’t raise your vitamin D level.
Vitamin D helps protect you against several ailments. If you don’t have enough of it, you’re at greater risk for developing these. This includes:
- Heart problems
- Bone problems such as osteoporosis, rickets, and osteomalacia
- Infections or immune system difficulties
- Falls (especially in older people)
- Muscle problems
There are certain groups of people who are at an enhanced risk of vitamin D deficiency. If you find that you are a member of one of these groups, you might consider checking your vitamin D levels at your next doctor’s appointment.
Risk factors for vitamin D deficiency include:
- Age - As you age, your skin becomes less capable of making vitamin D. Therefore, you might need to take a supplement or eat fortified foods.
- Mobility - If you rarely get outside, you’re at a higher risk of being vitamin D deficient.
- Skin tone - Those with darker skin are at higher risk for deficiency. This is due to the skin’s ability to make vitamin D.
How To Get Vitamin D
There are several ways that you can acquire vitamin D, but it’s important to be mindful about how you choose to get it. The three ways to get this precious vitamin include spending time outside in the sunlight, eating fortified foods, and of course, taking vitamin D supplements.
Some of the most vitamin-D rich foods include:
- Salmon
- Canned tuna
- Beef liver
- Cod liver oil
- Egg yolks
- Sardines
- Fortified orange juice
- Fortified yogurt
We have a distinct favorite of the three because we believe it to be the most effective and efficient. In addition to this, you might find that some ways to acquire vitamin D are safer than others. We’ll elaborate more on this soon. For now, let’s discuss how much time you need to spend in the sun to get vitamin D.
How Much Time Should I Spend in the Sun for Vitamin D?
We have a few words of precaution if you’re considering acquiring your vitamin D from the sun. First of all, it’s essential that whenever you’re in the sun, you put on sunscreen to protect yourself from damage caused by ultraviolet B rays (UVB rays). Unfortunately, that extra sun protection can also mean that you’re reducing the amount of vitamin D you absorb.
In addition, those who live further away from the equator don’t get as strong of sun, especially during the winter months. This can mean that even though you’re spending the recommended amount of time outdoors in the sun, you’re not really getting enough of it for vitamin D production.
Finally, getting vitamin D from the sun is more feasible for people with certain skin tones than others — more melanin means UV rays have a harder time turning the cholesterol in your skin to vitamin D.
If you choose to go the sun route, aim for only about 15 minutes of sun exposure at a time just a few times a week.
Personally, we think it’s best to simply skip the sun and cut the risk of skin cancer caused by too much sun exposure, and we prefer a different method to acquire vitamin D.
What’s the Best Way To Get Vitamin D?
The most efficient way — not to mention the simplest — to get the right form of vitamin D and get enough of it is by taking a daily dietary supplement. Not only is this an easy addition to your daily routine, you’ll find that it’s often more effective than the other methods.
We get it--taking vitamins doesn’t always sound fun! That’s because you haven’t tried Cosmos Vita’s delicious gummy supplements yet. Our supplements were crafted right here in the United States and are vegan safe — not to mention gluten, dye, and artificial flavor free. Our Beaming vitamin D3 gummy will help you support your body with all the good stuff, and none of the unnecessary additives.
Conclusion
It’s important to ensure that you’re getting your daily fix of vitamin D. By doing this, you’re protecting your body against a variety of potential ailanets a problems that can plague it years later. We suggest that you take ownership over your health today.
Get Cosmos Vita’s delicious gummy supplements, and start to see the difference for yourself.
SOURCES:
Vitamins: What are they, and what do they do? | Medical News Today
Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms & Treatment | Cleveland Clinic