But at least face, arms and shoulders should be exposed. It is not specific or dependant on any body part. The more skin you expose, the more it absorbs. Prolonged sun exposure won’t raise your vitamin D levels further it can, however, increase your risk of skin cancer. In winter, you may need to spend almost double this time in the sun. Those with darker skin require 30-40 minutes of exposure three-four times a week. If you’re fair-skinned, you’ll need 20 minutes of sun exposure to direct sunlight three-four times a week for your body to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D. ■ Skin colour: Pale skin makes vitamin D more quickly than darker skin, as the latter has more melanin, which blocks absorption. ■ Weather conditions: Cloud cover and air pollutants absorb and scatter UV rays, and reduce the amount of UV radiation that reaches us. People who live closer to the equator can synthesize vitamin D from sunlight all year round. Also, the place where you live also affects your UVB-level exposure. If it is, you’re not synthesizing enough vitamin D. So the closer to midday you expose your skin, the better it will be for vitamin D production.Ī good rule of thumb is to see if your shadow is longer than you are. It’s weakest when the sun slants, which is during the early and later parts of the day, and during most of the day in winters. ■ Time, year and location: The level of UV radiation varies with the time of day and year. UVB rays are the primary source of vitamin D. When the sun slants, the light travels through more ozone before reaching Earth’s surface, which in turn reduces UVB exposure at the surface (the three types of ultraviolet radiation-UVA, UVB and UVC-are classified according to their wavelength). ■ Level of UV radiation: The amount of sun received at any location is dependent on the angle at which it strikes Earth. How much is produced depends on a range of factors, including: So how much sun exposure is “enough" to get an optimal dose of vitamin D but not so much that it can lead to cancer?įor starters, you need to know that the sun does not create vitamin D in your body rather, UV radiation converts the vitamin D in your skin to its usable form. While the sun is the best natural source of vitamin D, exposure to UV radiation is also one of the major causes of skin cancer. When it comes to sun exposure, things get tricky. While eating the right foods can be helpful, it won’t necessarily give you the right amount of vitamin D that your body needs-there isn’t enough present in food to replenish deficiencies. The two main ways to ensure you are getting adequate amounts of vitamin D are by exposing your bare skin to sunlight and by taking vitamin D supplements.
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