There is a lot of debate out there about safe sun exposure, tanning booths, and vitamin D. While many M.D.’s now recognize that the RDA of vitamin D at 400iu’s is extremely low, recommendations about how to increase D are perhaps lacking.

How much D do we need? What is the best way to get it? Is it safe to be in the sun? To use tanning booths? Why do we need D anyway? What does it do? How much is too much? Too little?

These are all important questions and many of which I go over in my nutrition consulting practice with clients.

Many factors are important in determining how much D a person requires and from what sources they receive it. Some important factors are ethnicity, current climate and latitude you live in, current diet, and accessory nutrients taken in. All of us will need different amounts and all of us will need lab testing to determine our D levels throughout the process.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are much greater than just bone loss. Some other possible symptoms include:

  • Depression and seasonal affective disorder
  • Getting sick often, low immunity
  • Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome
  • Metabolic slow down, and weight gain
  • Fatigue
  • Cancer

Get the skinny on vitamin D and safe sun exposure for your skin type and ethnic heritage. We all need good amounts of vitamin D, some from sun and some from foods and supplements, and all in various amounts. Learning your own personal need for D is imperative for optimal wellness.

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