by Lani Axman

Created on: August 05, 2007

In a culture that slathers on sunscreen at the first hint of sun, it seems counter-intuitive to suggest that sunscreen could be a bad thing, but the evidence is growing that our sun-phobia is doing more harm than good. Human beings need sunlight exposure, in large part because it is through sunlight that the human body produces vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in the United States. This is particularly worrisome because Vitamin D is a substance (not actually a vitamin, but a "prehormone") which has been shown to have antibiotic qualities (helping to boost immune function) as well as preventing many common diseases and health problems including heart disease, MS, diabetes, and many types of cancer, including skin cancer. Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a Harvard University professor of medicine and nutrition, has said, "I would challenge anyone to find an area or nutrient or any factor that has such consistent anti-cancer benefits as vitamin D. The data are really quite remarkable." He also suggests that "vitamin D might help prevent 30 deaths for each one caused by skin cancer" (see http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-21-docto rs-sunshine-good_x.htm).

Some would suggest that oral intake of vitamin D is sufficient, but the evidence suggests otherwise. Giovannucci explains that "diet accounts for very little of the vitamin D circulating in blood," and the vitamin D found in most supplements is less potent and, when part of a multivitamin with vitamin A, the benefits are offset. There are pills providing the potent and desirable vitamin D-3, but "too much of the pill variety can cause a dangerous buildup of calcium in the body"(see http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-05-21-docto rs-sunshine-good_x.htm). John Cannell, MD, of the Vitamin D council explains, "If you totally avoid the sun, recent research indicates you need about 4,000 units of vitamin D a day! So you can't get enough vitamin D from milk (unless you drink 40 glasses a day) or from a multivitamin (unless you take about 10 tablets a day), neither of which is recommended." He goes further to say, "Although there is some in fatty fish, vitamin D is not in our diets unless humans first fortify a food, like vitamin D fortified milk. Nature intended for you to make it in your skin, not put it in your mouth" (see http://www.mercola.com/2005/feb/2/vitamin_d_producti on.htm).

Vitamin D from sunlight carries nearly no risk of overdose (the sun actually helps our bodies destroy

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>