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Americans may be overdoing their sun protection and denying their bodies
important vitamin D, NBC Nightly News reported today.
’I believe that Americans
have gone overboard with their fear of the sun. I think that sensible
exposure to sunlight is really important for your overall health and
well-being,’ Boston University’s Dr. Michael Holick told NBC. Holick
discovered the active form of vitamin D in the 1970s, and is widely
regarded as the world’s leading vitamin D expert.
Holick pointed out that
people need 1,000 units of vitamin D a day, but a glass of milk supplies
only 100 units and a multivitamin only 400. ’So most people need the sun
in order to avoid deficiency,’ the network reported.
The consequences of low
vitamin D levels start with low bone density, a condition that is a
precursor to osteoporosis, a disease that affects 25 million Americans.
Other diseases, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and
ovarian cancer, may in fact be inhibited by vitamin D, recent research
suggests.
Holick’s work shows
that vitamin D deficiency is nearly epidemic in American society today,
but those who get regular UV exposure, including those who use indoor
tanning equipment, have higher vitamin D levels and higher bone density.
The professional indoor
tanning industry promotes sunburn prevention as the best way to harness
any benefits of regular UV exposure while minimizing the risks and
teaches tanners the proper use of sunscreen outdoors. But, as Holick
points out in the story, over-using sunscreen can inhibit or prevent
vitamin D production.
For more information on
the story, visit MSNBC’s web site at
www.msnbc.com
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