Saturday, November 13, 2010

Can I get enough Vitamin D from being in the sun?

CAN I GET ENOUGH VITAMIN D FROM BEING IN THE SUN?
Robert G Carlson, MD, FACS
Spending 15 minutes in the sun each day will allow your body to produce plenty of Vitamin D – that may be true if you are sitting on a beach in Florida at noon wearing nothing but a bikini, but for the vast majority of us that’s just not happening. For a Caucasian wearing no sunscreen, sitting in the summer sun in the mid-afternoon with 40 percent of their body exposed for 20 minutes will produce about 10,000 units of vitamin D. Unfortunately, once sunscreen is applied the Vitamin D production drops to nothing. If you have darker skin, the time required in the sun increases to 45 minutes a day. If you live above 35 degrees latitude, the body is unable to produce adequate amounts of Vitamin D from the winter sun. In fact the only adequate amount of sunshine in Boston occurs, between May and Sept, otherwise there’s just not enough sunlight for Vitamin D metabolism. So, the person working in Chicago during the middle of the winter will get absolutely no Vitamin D from sunlight, and vitamin D fights the common cold better than Vitamin C. So that’s why cold and flu season occurs during the winter season.
So can I get enough Vitamin D by eating a balanced diet? That won’t work, because Vitamin D is present, in small amounts, in only a handful of foods – oily fish, and eggs. Vitamin D fortified foods such as Vitamin D fortified Milk and Orange Juice are a joke containing a measly 50 units of Vitamin D2(the wrong kind of Vitamin D), not Vitamin D3. You will need about 5000 units a day to help your body fight the battle against the cold viruses, and by the way, that dose also reduces breast and colon cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. I don’t recommend Cod Liver Oil since its nasty tasting, and is full of Vitamin A, which blocks all the amazing benefit of Vitamin D. Now Vitamin D in gel cap form, sprays or liquids will provide all the necessary Vitamin D you will need, and will cost you only a few pennies a day.
For more information check-out www.andlos.com

4 comments:

Caroline Leavitt said...

I absolutely agree with this. Since you told me to take D3, I have not had even a cold or a sniffle. Move to NYC, Rob and be my doctor! Genius advice, all the time.

Unknown said...

I agree with Caroline-no colds since I started 400 units a day in October 2009. Loving it!

Unknown said...

make that 4000 units!

Just Say Goo said...

Vit D3 is one of the cheapest and most effective supplements on the market! YEAH!!!! It sure does help you keep the flu bugs at bay and with extra benefit to prevent breast cancer?? I will take it.. and I do.. LOTS of it. Thanks Dr. Rob or always giving us the best and most useful health advice that does not break the bank!