“How much sunlight do we need?”

Ideally, we should all get daily sun exposure. Although this is tough in northern latitudes, the sun provides much more than just vitamin D synthesis. It helps regulate our hormones, sleep-wake cycle, protective neurotransmitters for a good mood, the infrared rays help us detoxify the body, and so much more. While we should avoid getting sunburned, generally we have been told to be wary of any sun exposure which is a dire mistake. The lack of sun exposure greatly increases our morbidity, including the risk of skin cancers. In fact, the lack of sun plus a low omega-3 diet, combined with widespread vitamin D deficiency, is a key cause of skin cancer. As for vitamin D, for most people who work during the day in terms of an office or factory job, it is nearly impossible to get daily exposure to maintain proper D3 blood levels. For nearly 90% of the population, D3 supplementation is a must. There is an app called D Minder that can help you see the optimal time each day to get sun for optimal vitamin D synthesis. But you will find most of the time this is between 10 am and 4 pm which is a challenging time for most people to get into the sun. D3 supplementation varies but for adults, 5,000 IU per day is the very minimum. Additionally, getting some sun exposure at sunrise and sunset, while you will not get D3 from this, can boost health as well. *Dr. Jason McCammon * PhD, BCND, CHHP, PN, NFPT, CMA 2510 E. Michigan Ave. Lansing MI, 48912 517-409-5095

There is an app called D Minder on iPhone that provides a timer with approximate dosages of vitamin D based on latitude of where you live. It also helps you figure out how much vitamin D you need based on test results to obtain the optimal amount of vitamin D. Here is a link to download the app. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/d-minder-pro/id547102495

I suspect this depends on the latitude and longitudinal cross section in which you reside. The further from the equator the more sun exposure would likely be needed. I learned, too many years ago to call it a current understanding, that in the PNW we need 30% of our exposed skin to be under direct sunlight for 10 mins per day for "adequate" vitamin D formation. However, "adequate" vs "optimal" is important to take into account. Optimal levels of vitamin D, re functional ranges, are between 60-80 ng/dL. In my experience unless a patient living in the PNW is supplementing with a high quality active form of vitamin D providing at least 2000 IU (but therapeutic doses vary per individual) per day with a meal that contains fat and have adequate upper GI organ function they will be outside of the functional range and deficient even if they work outside for a living.

Part of the answer depends on where someone lives, their skin color, and time of year. In general it’s recommended to get a minimum of 20-30 minutes of sunshine on your skin a day. This is very minimal though. And people with darker skin, and living in more northern environments will need more.

Sunlight is the best source. Daily sun time depends on several factors - time of the year / season, latitude, altitude, as well as personal factors. For example, some folks have increased sensitivity to sun exposure. That must be respected.

GOOD QUESTION,

FIRST OF ALL, NORTH OF THE EQUATOR, WE DO NOT GET THE REQUIRED AMT. OF SUNLIGHT TO MAINTAIN A NORMAL VITAMIN D LEVEL. THE NORMAL LEVEL IS 30-1OO UNITS. MOST PEOPLE ARE AT THE LOWER END OF NORMAL. SO, IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE YOUR D CHECKED TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE IN RANGE. IF YOU LIVED SOUTH OF THE BORDER AND WORKED OUTSIDE EVERY DAY, YOUR D LEVEL MAY BE ADEQUATE IF CHECKED.

Around 15 minutes

Hello!

Sunlight is the most natural and abundant source of getting our vitamin D. You can find it in certain foods to as I’ve listed at the end. Recommendations for how much sunlight depends on many factors (but keep reading for a general recommendation!). Examples: how strong is the sun where you’re at? (Tucson vs. Seattle - very different!), how light or dark is your skin? (Darker skin needs more time since it has more melanin which blocks sun ray absorption, lighter skin has less melanin pigment so it needs less time), are you wearing sun block or not? How much of your body is covered in clothing vs having direct sun exposure? Etc. On average, a moderately fair skinned person should get about 20 minutes of early morning sun 3 days a week to a pretty good amount of the skin. So not just the hands and face as that’s not enough skin contact with the sun for the purpose of vitamin D production! Tanning beds are NOT a substitute for this and can be very damaging to the skin. Outside of this, do protect your skin regularly to prevent sun damage to the skin. You can also eat your vitamin D! Mushrooms are an excellent source as are egg yolks and *wild caught* salmon, sardines, herring and tuna (*wild caught, not farmer fish. Sadly, farmed fish only has a fraction of the vitamin D that wild caught has, plus farmed fish are generally full of toxins and other issues). Fortified foods also are a source, like cereals, orange juice and some tofu.

Everyone is different. Getting your vitamin D levels ran is a good way to start. Generally, you need enough sunlight to get flushed daily (15-20 minutes).

Depends on where you are but generally 20 minutes is a good rule of thumb with as much of the body exposed as possible.

It is recommended that you get 20 minutes of sunshine each day to get 80% to 100% of your vitamin D requirement.

Brief/casual exposure of sunlight to the face, arms, and hands is thought to equal about 5 mcg (about 200 IU) of vitamin D.

Approximately 15 minutes of direct sunlight daily, however darker complexion individuals will absorb less vitamin D from the sun due to the amount of melanin present in the skin.

Sunlight is the only way our bodies produce Vitamin D, however the UV rays also raise the risk of developing skin cancer. Furthermore, Vitamin D3 is available in a simple inexpensive capsule to take daily to cover any potential deficiency. So no need for sunlight to make Vitamin D when supplementing, but sunshine is great for about 20-30 minutes per day.