Tag Archives: Vitamin

Sunscreen Doesn’t Stop Vitamin D Production

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You’ve probably heard that your body needs at least a little straight-up sunshine to produce good-for-you vitamin D. But ask your dermatologist, and she’ll tell you that it’s never a good idea to expose unprotected skin to the sun. So how do you get your vitamin D without increasing your risk of sunburn and skin cancer?

Good news: Your body can produce vitamin D even while you’re wearing sunscreen, according to new research from King’s College London’s Institute of Dermatology.

For the study, researchers measured the vitamin D levels of 79 men and women before and after a one-week beach trip to a Spanish island. Half of the participants made sure to properly apply a sunscreen with SPF 15, while the other half hit the beach with bare skin. As you would expect, sunscreen helped protect the sunbathers from burns. And as for vitamin D? Both groups’ vitamin D levels soared—a good thing, since this essential nutrient keeps your bones strong, boosts your immunity, fends off depression, and lowers your cancer risk, according to data from the National Institutes of Health.

While the bare-skinned group had slightly higher levels of vitamin D at the end of the study, researchers say that the difference between the groups wasn’t significant enough to warrant skipping sunscreen. That’s big news, considering previous research found that sunscreen can significantly inhibit vitamin D synthesis and that the National Institutes of Health currently recommends up to 30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure at least twice a week.

The thing is, the studies that came before this one weren’t perfect: They didn’t track the kinds and amounts of sunscreen used, relied on artificial light rather than sunlight, and/or failed to measure UV exposure, says the new study’s author, Antony Young, professor of experimental photobiology at King’s College London’s Institute of Dermatology.

Researchers still don’t know whether a higher SPF could interrupt vitamin D production or exactly how much sun you need for sufficient vitamin D synthesis, says Young. One thing’s for sure, though: Regular use of sunscreen can lower your risk of skin cancer—and based on Young’s findings, slathering on sunscreen looks like it won’t block the sun you need to ward off vitamin D deficiency.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:
Why You Need Vitamin D
Vitamin D: Do You Get Enough?
Delicious Ways to Eat More Essential Nutrients

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Are You Getting Enough Vitamin E?

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Vitamin E content probably isn’t first thing you check out on a nutrition label, but make sure to give it a once-over. Vitamin E can help prevent obesity-related illnesses and boost your heart health, according to two studies presented at the Experimental Biology 2013 meeting between April 20-24.

The first study, conducted by researchers at Case Western Reserve University of Medicine, suggests that vitamin E may help relieve symptoms of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an obesity-linked condition that can lead to liver failure or even cancer.

In another study conducted by Ohio State University, researchers tested the effects of vitamin E on the blood vessels of ex-smokers. They found that participants who took a vitamin E supplement saw a 4.3 percent improvement in vascular function, compared to the placebo group’s 2.8 percent. Overall, the study showed that adding vitamin E to ex-smokers’ diets led to a 19 percent drop in cardiovascular disease.

The Office of Dietary Supplements recommends that adults consume up to 15 milligrams of vitamin E per day. In addition to these recent findings, vitamin E has been shown to offer some protection against heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Want to up your intake? Don’t reach for a pill—if you get the wrong kind of supplement, it’ll be half as effective as eating vitamin E in its natural form. Instead, make one (or more) of these vitamin E-rich meals:

Almond Horchata (14.4 mg per serving)

Photo: Patricia Heal

Grilled Almond Butter and Berry Sandwiches (8.7 mg per serving)

Photo: Stephanie Foley

Almond Egg Custard (6.8 mg per serving)

Photo: Catherine Sears

Roasted Sweet-Potato Salad (5.2 mg per serving)

Photo: Kurt Wilson

Pork Braised in Kiwi-Coconut Sauce with White Beans (5.2 mg per serving)

Photo: Mitch Mandel

Light Spinach Roll-Ups (5 mg per serving)

Photo: Mitch Mandel

Southwestern Chicken Salad with Crispy Tortilla Chips (4.3 mg per serving)

Photo: Elizabeth Watt

 

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Should I Worry About My Vitamin D Levels?

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Every week, the Scoop examines alarming new claims to help you make sense of the latest health research.

Staying up to date on the latest vitamin D research is practically a full-time job—new studies come out so often. The latest findings?  Consuming higher-than-recommended amounts of D may give your immune system a boost—potentially lowering their risk of some cancers, heart disease, and other conditions, according to research published online last week in the journal PLOS ONE. While previous studies have linked adequate vitamin D intake to increases in bone strength and decreases in cancer, depression, and autoimmune disorders such as Type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis, this is the first study to show that exceeding the minimum RDA could be key to better health, explains New York City nutritionist Stephanie Middleberg, RD. So does that mean you should start popping vitamin D like candy—or that a deficiency could be to blame for any health issues you might currently have?

Not so fast. First, the PLOS ONE study was small; it included just eight subjects, and even its authors concede that more research needs to be done to back up their findings. What’s more, vitamin D’s link to cancer and heart disease is unclear: A 2010 Institutes of Medicine report that investigated the connection uncovered mostly inconsistent or inconclusive results. That same report also stated that most people in the U.S. are already meeting their D needs—in part because our bodies are like vitamin D factories, absorbing UV light from the sun and synthesizing it into the nutrient. Odds are you’re getting enough, but if you suffer from unexplained symptoms such as fatigue and bone or joint pain, you should consider seeing your MD for a blood test.

As for consuming more vitamin D than the 400 IU the average adult woman needs, be careful. Like many vitamins, D can become toxic if taken in large amounts, says Kassandra Munger, PhD, a research associate in the department of nutrition at Harvard University School of Public Health. And unfortunately, it’s not exactly clear exactly how much qualifies as toxic.

Bottom line: Though taking excess amounts might one day prove to be beneficial, for now, just make sure you meet the current daily D requirement of 400 IU. “Many foods pack decent amounts of it—for example, fatty fish like salmon, nuts, and fortified milk and orange juice—but this nutrient can be hard to get via your diet alone,” says Munger. “Play it safe by taking a daily supplement, and you’ll be covered.”

And though our bodies ares designed to make vitamin D from sunlight, you don’t want to rely on that. Depending on the time of year and your skin tone, it can take 10 to 20 minutes a day in the summer for UV rays to be turned into vitamin D. Problem is, for the UV rays to be absorbed, you likely have to forgo sunscreen, which increases your risk of skin cancer—not to mention fried, damaged skin.

The Verdict: Vitamin D holds promise as a key to improving immunity and preventing conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. But until more research confirms vitamin D’s health-boosting rep, don’t OD on it—just make sure you get the recommended amount (400 IU), ideally through your diet and a daily supplement.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More From Women’s Health:
Vitamin D Benefits: Weigh Less, Smile More!
Supplement Your Diet
6 Essential Vitamins and Minerals

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Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

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When sunshine is scarce, vitamin D can be pretty hard to come by–it’s why most doctors recommend supplements. But even if you follow your doctor’s orders, you might be taking the wrong dose: some supplement manufacturers significantly under- or overestimate the potency of their pills, according to new research published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Researchers in Portland, Oregon tested 55 bottles of OTC vitamin D from a dozen different brands. The results: some pills contained just 9 percent of the amount promised on the label. Meanwhile, other brands had almost 1.5 times the designated dose, and pill potency even varied among different pills in the same bottle.

Most people expect a product’s label to precisely reflect the contents. But it’s actually fairly standard for supplement contents to fluctuate a little within a safe range—plus or minus about ten percent. However, this new study reveals that vitamin amounts vary much more than once thought. Such high variation could be a sign of sloppy manufacturing and potential danger, says study author Erin LeBlanc, M.D., an epidemiologist and board-certified endocrinologist.

Don’t freak out about potential overdose, though. “The real concern is not getting the full amount you think you’re getting—especially because you might not notice,” says LeBlanc. After all, skimping on vitamin D heightens your risk of depression, heart disease, pregnancy problems, birth defects, skin cancer, and multiple sclerosis.

If you’ve had low levels of D in the past and feel weak or confused, see your doctor pronto. And if you feel fine, but still want to get the vitamin D dose you’re paying for? Stick to supplements with a U.S. Pharmacopeial Verified Mark, which are more likely to contain what’s promised on the label, says LeBlanc. To find out whether the bottle you have contains what it claims to, check here.

photo: Ron Chapple Studios/Thinkstock

More from WH:
Why You Need Vitamin D
The Best Vitamin You Can Put In Your Body
The Remedy to Weigh Less and Smile More

Jessica Alba’s go-to tips for making affordable, stylish nontoxic choices for your home and family! Buy The Honest Life today!

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The Vitamin That Protects Against Alzheimer’s

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Worried that memory loss may be in your future? Don’t forget to take your vitamins. Higher vitamin D in your diet is associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease , according to a new study from the Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences.

Researchers surveyed nearly 500 women (ages 75 and up) about their food intake, physical habits, cognitive performance, and other metrics. They then tracked the women over 7 years, and divided them into three groups based on whether or not they developed dementia. They found that women who had developed Alzheimer’s over the seven-year span had lower vitamin D intake (50.3 micgrams per week on average) than women who didn’t develop dementia (59 migrograms per week on average).

Vitamin D—which has been heralded for helping boost mood and strengthen the immune system, among other things—plays a huge role in keeping brain cells healthy, says Michael F. Holick, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Center. “The brain’s vitamin D receptors respond to D by boosting serotonin levels, which helps maintain the connectivity of the neurons in the brain, which improves their lifespan,” he says.

This is illustrated by another study, from the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, which found that low vitamin D levels in older women are associated with higher odds of cognitive impairment and cognitive decline.  The more vitamin D they consumed, the greater their cognitive abilities were.

Unfortunately, unless you’re taking a daily supplement, you are probably D deficient, Holick says. The good news is that it’s an easy fix. Here’s your brain-boosting game plan:

Pop a Pill
The government recommends adults get 600 IU (International Units), or 15 micrograms, of vitamin D per day, but Holick says that number should be closer to 1,500 or 2,000 IU. Taking a daily supplement is the easiest way to make sure you are getting all the health benefits associated with higher levels of D, he says. Look for supplements that provide at least 1,000 IU.

Order the Fish
The most common dish with D is fatty fish, like wild Alaskan salmon and tuna, but you can also find the vitamin in milk, cheese, and egg yolks. There are also vitamin D-fortified products, like orange juice. However, drinking a glass for breakfast isn’t enough to meet your recommended daily allowance, Holick says.

Seek More Sunlight
As you may already know, your body can make its own D simply from soaking up the sun’s rays, Holick says. But it gets a bit more complicated. For starters, when exposed to sunlight, your body only creates D from the hours of 10am to 3pm. To top that, if you live north of Atlanta, Georgia, you can’t even make any D in your skin from November to February, he says. So supplementing your diet and activity is even more important during cooler months. Do you suffer from more body pain and aching muscles in the winter? Those types of symptoms could be a sign of low D, says Holick.

Grab Some UVs
Some docs will prescribe a UV light to patients who are very D deficient, but you can buy one on your own without an Rx. These special UV lamps work the same way as real rays of sun—so stay on burn notice. Lamp users only need to expose the front of their upper legs, abdomen, or back for three to five minutes, three times a week, Holick says. Make sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new treatments or remedies.

MORE FROM WH:
Are you D-Deficient?
The Cool Things Vitamin D Can Do
Nix D for Fighting a Cold


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