Looking For A Vitamin D Supplement
We did the research for you. See Healthlines picks for the 13 best vitamin D supplements.
Several factors can affect your ability to get adequate vitamin D from sunlight alone.
You may be less likely to absorb enough vitamin D from the sun if you (
- severe bone or muscle pain or weakness
- stress fractures, especially in your legs, pelvis, and hips
A healthcare professional can diagnose a vitamin D deficiency by performing a simple blood test. If you have a deficiency, your doctor may order X-rays to check the strength of your bones.
If you receive a diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency, a healthcare professional will likely recommend that you take vitamin D supplements. If you have a severe deficiency, they may instead recommend high dose vitamin D tablets or liquids.
You should also make sure to get vitamin D through sunlight and the foods you eat.
Does Sunscreen Use Lead To Vitamin D Deficiency
High-SPF sunscreens are designed to filter out most of the suns UVB radiation, since UVB damage is the major cause of sunburn and can lead to skin cancers. UVB wavelengths happen to be the specific wavelengths that trigger vitamin D production in the skin. Nonetheless, clinical studies have never found that everyday sunscreen use leads to vitamin D insufficiency. In fact, the prevailing studies show that people who use sunscreen daily can maintain their vitamin D levels.
One of the explanations for this may be that no matter how much sunscreen you use or how high the SPF, some of the suns UV rays reach your skin. An SPF 15 sunscreen filters out 93 percent of UVB rays, SPF 30 keeps out 97 percent, and SPF 50 filters out 98 percent. This leaves anywhere from 2 to 7 percent of solar UVB reaching your skin, even with high-SPF sunscreens. And thats if you use them perfectly.
Vitamin D And Skin Rash
âEczemaâ is a chronic inflammatory skin rash with symptoms of red, dry, rough and itchy skin. Eczema affects about 10 to 30 percent of all Americans, most commonly infants and young children, but it also develops in adults.
One of the best ways vitamin D benefits skin is with its ability to treat eczema. Treatment for a âdeficiency in vitamin Dâ has proven to be effective for this type of skin irritation. The dose is usually between 5,000 and 15,000 IU, since people differ in their blood level after supplementation. It often takes two to three months to respond, according to the Vitamin D Council.
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How To Get Vitamin D
You can make your vitamin D the old-fashioned way, by exposing your skin to UVB radiation in sunlight. It doesn’t take much, but people living north of the 37-degree-latitude line roughly the imaginary line between Philadelphia and San Francisco can’t get enough UVB in winter to do the trick. And many others will find it all too easy to overdose on UVB, increasing their risk of malignant melanomas and other skin cancers, as well as wrinkles and premature skin aging. All in all, most doctors recommend avoiding sunlight and getting vitamin D by mouth.
Diet can help, but it’s very hard to approach the new goals with food alone. Fish and shellfish provide natural vitamin D , but you’ll have to eat about 5 ounces of salmon, 7 ounces of halibut, 30 ounces of cod, or nearly two 8-ounce cans of tuna to get just 400 IU. An egg yolk will provide about 20 IU, but since it also contains nearly a day’s quota of cholesterol, you can’t very well use eggs to fill your tank with D. Other foods have even less D, which is why manufacturers fortify milk, some yogurt, some orange juice, and many cereals with vitamin D. In general, a serving will provide about 100 IU that means drinking a quart of fortified milk to get 400 IU.
Side Effects Of Vitamin D
Zeichner says topical vitamin D is generally safe to use daily, but like any skincare product, Dhingra says it could cause irritation, depending on how its created. Herrmann warns that many of these products are oil-based, which could be too heavy in acne-prone skin and cause pore-clogging.
When taken orally, Dhingra says its fairly difficult to consume a significantly excessive amount of vitamin D, but he says that the fat-soluble vitamin can cause excess calcium buildup with nausea, vomiting, mental changes, increased urination, and kidney failure. “This is only ever in the setting of extreme supplementation, which should only be done with a qualified medical professional,” Dhingra says. In general, Gerstner recommends not exceeding 4000 IU a day, but always check with your physician and discuss any supplements or vitamins before adding them to your regimen.
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Vitamin D And Tanning: The Bottom Line
In terms of taking vitamin D, look for supplements that contain vitamin D3, as this is the form of vitamin D that the body manufactures when our skin is exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D3 has been found to be the most beneficial, not just for the skin, but for our overall physical and mental health and wellbeing.
As you can see, the science isnt really conclusive enough to say one way or the other whether vitamin D supplements help to darken or tan the skin. Does vitamin D help you tan? The truth is, were not sure.
But either way, our advice is to always be mindful of the effects of the sun on your skin, even on a cloudy day.
Weve chosen not to add sunscreen to our range of alkalising skin care products. We made this decision because we have concerns over the safety of using sun protection ingredients on our skin. We go into much more detail on this topic in our blog, SPFs: Should we wear them every day?
Also, we ultimately believe that its up to all of us as individuals to decide whether or not we want to use SPFs. If we choose to, we can add them to our skin as an additional product to our normal skin care.
If we choose not to, we can opt for other sun protection measures such as wearing a wide brimmed sun hat, good quality sunglasses and long, loose fitting clothing when the UV light from the sun is at its strongest.
Is Vitamin D Deficiency An Epidemic No Its Not
Thomas Carpenter, MD, Yale Medicine pediatric endocrinologist and director of the Yale School of Medicines Center for X-Linked Hypophosphatemia
Based on the United States Dietary Association and National Health and Nutrition Surveys , the bulk of the population is not vitamin D-deficient. The population we tend to see vitamin D deficiency inand its typically in wintertimeare breastfed infants. Breast milk doesn’t have much vitamin D in it. That’s what spurred a recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics that every breastfed infant be given vitamin D . But if infants aren’t given multivitamin drops, they need to be given 200 IU a day of vitamin D for the first two months of life and 400 units a day afterwards until theyre drinking formula or milk, which are each fortified with vitamin D.
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The 4 Best Vitamins For Your Skin
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Getting the right vitamins
Taking care of your skin should be an essential part of your health regimen. It is, after all, your bodys largest organ.
The first thing most health professionals will tell you to do in order to keep your skin healthy is to limit your exposure to the suns harmful ultraviolet rays and wear protective sunscreen when youre exposed to sunlight.
But the sun isnt all bad. Just 1015 minutes of daily exposure helps manufacture vitamin D throughout the skin. Vitamin D is one of the best vitamins for your skin, along with vitamins C, E, and K.
Making sure you get enough vitamins can keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. This could translate to a reduction in:
- excessive dryness
Essential skin vitamins are available in supplemental form, but they are also found in skin care products. Learn more about these four essential vitamins and how they can help you achieve optimum skin health.
Retinoids Arent Always The Best Option
Topical retinoids can have benefit, but they dont offer a permanent remedy for any skin concern. Their positive effects stop when you stop using them.
Whats more, they wont work for everyone, and even OTC options can cause a number of unwanted side effects, including irritation and swelling, stinging and burning, and skin peeling.
Its always best to connect with a dermatologist before trying any new skin care products or remedies. They can offer more guidance with creating a personalized treatment plan that works for your skin.
Vitamin A isnt the right choice for everyone. Too much oral or topical vitamin A can cause side effects. It can even be harmful, especially for people with certain skin conditions and other health issues.
Heres what you need to know so you can use vitamin A safely.
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Should Everyone Get Their Vitamin D Levels Checked Generally No
Karl Insogna, MD, director of Yale Medicines Bone Center
Most people should be fine. Testing is important only for certain populations: for people who are institutionalized for patients with a gastrointestinal disorder or osteoporosis those who have had weight loss surgery those on anti-convulsant medications and children who are immobilized and not outside and active. If youre over 70, I recommend getting your levels checked at least one time.
People whose cultural or religious beliefs require them to be fully clothed, especially if theyre living in northern climates, and whose dietary habits include little or no dairy , may also be vitamin D-deficient and should be tested.
What Other Drugs Will Affect Vitamin A & D Topical
It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on topically applied Vitamin A & D,. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
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Skin Signs Of Vitamin Deficiency
Some skin signs of a vitamin deficiency include hyperpigmentation, poor wound healing, hair loss, nail abnormalities, rough, scaly patches, and excessive dryness. However, this is not an exhaustive list. If you are worried you have a vitamin deficiency, talk to your healthcare provider. A blood test is the only way to confirm whether your body is low in a particular nutrient.
Can You Take Soluble Vitamin C When Pregnant
You can easily get the vitamin C you need from fruits and vegetables, and your prenatal vitamins also contain vitamin C. Its not a good idea to take large doses of vitamin C when youre pregnant. The maximum daily amount thats considered safe is 1800 mg for women 18 and younger and 2000 mg for women 19 and over.
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Into Your Skincare Routine
Dr. Rabach notes that topical vitamin D can be beneficial in both morning and evening routines, though it is likely to not work when paired with alpha hydroxy acids or beta hydroxy acids. She explains that, when used together, the chemical exfoliators acidify and inactivate vitamin D. For those looking to get the most out of the ingredient in their skincare, Hilling recommends daily nighttime use. The skin needs D to make more D, she says. Priming the pump a little at night helps when we get light exposure during the day, and it helps with protecting us from other environmental stressors that can damage skin, especially pollution.
How To Take/apply It
When taking a vitamin D supplement, Zeichner recommends doing so along with a fatty meal of healthy fats, for best absorption.
If using a topical vitamin D prescription, follow the application instructions from your doctor. If you choose to use a topical vitamin D for anti-aging, Herrmann says combining it with other antioxidant vitamins, growth factors, or retinoids can create a “super” product, working on multiple anti-aging pathways.
Vitamin D can also be found in some over-the-counter beauty products. “Medically, I often use a prescription cream-based vitamin D analogue to maintain clearness for psoriasis and other inflammatory skin diseases,” Dhingra says. However, Dhingra adds that outside of its clinical uses in fighting inflammatory skin diseases, the evidence is not concrete enough to strongly recommend everyone implement a vitamin D-based product in their skincare line for normal skin health.
For sun-stimulated vitamin D, Dhingra says sunscreen is critical, as well as limiting exposure to no more than 10 to 15 minutes daily, and minimizing the amount of skin you expose.
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Good Sources Of Vitamin D
From about late March/early April to the end of September, most people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight.
The body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on the skin when outdoors.
But between October and early March we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight. Read more about vitamin D and sunlight.
Vitamin D is also found in a small number of foods.
- fortified foods such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals
Another source of vitamin D is dietary supplements.
In the UK, cows’ milk is generally not a good source of vitamin D because it is not fortified, as it is in some other countries.
What Are The Benefits Of Taking Vitamin D For The Skin
Aside from discussing the question of does vitamin D make you tan, its also worth pointing out that vitamin D does have other benefits for the skin.
The skin requires vitamin D for its overall health, keeping it hydrated, fresh and youthful. The essential cellular repair and growth processes that go on in our skin at a cellular level as we sleep also require vitamin D. Without it, our skin would just be a collection of dull, dead skin cells.
If youre experiencing dry, itchy, irritated skin, then you may be deficient in vitamin D. This is because vitamin D also helps to strengthen the natural barrier function of the skin. If this barrier becomes compromised, we can experience inflamed, irritated or infected skin and even become more prone to skin conditions such as eczema.
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Optimal Skin Protection With Vitamin D
While most people are aware of vitamin Ds importance to overall health, few know of its essential role in skin health. As you age your skin loses 75% of its ability to make vitamin D. The many ways vitamin D protects your skin are explained, along with the promise of topical application to help preserve its youthful appearance.
Scientifically reviewed by: Dr. Gary Gonzalez, MD, in January 2021. Written by: Life Extension Editorial Staff.
People today are aware of the importance of maintaining optimal blood levels of vitamin D for their overall health and well being. What many people do not know is that vitamin D is also indispensable to the health, beauty, and longevity of the largest organ in the body: your skin.
The problem is that while the body uses sunlight to make vitamin D, sun exposure itself accelerates skin aging. Over time, ultraviolet light damages the skin, leading to wrinkles, sun spots, and higher risk of skin cancer. In addition, much of the vitamin D produced in the skin is taken up and used by other systems of the body.
In this article, you will discover the critical role vitamin D plays in skin cell development and repair, as well as how it mobilizes your skins immune system and helps destroy free radicals that can cause premature aging. You will also learn how topical vitamin D lotion can deliver benefits directly to your skin, preserving its softness, health, and youthful appearance.
Vitamins Are Essential For Skin Health
As vitamins are essential to your health and body functions, vitamin deficiencies can cause adverse effects on the skin. Since vitamins C and E play such important roles in protecting your skin from the sun, deficiencies in either vitamin can increase the risk of skin damage, including skin cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States.
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Shedding Light On Vitamin Ds True Identity
Technically, vitamin D doesnt fit the classic definition of a vitamin at all. A vitamin is a substance that is crucial to normal everyday life function, but cant be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and thus must be obtained from the diet.1 Your skin has the ability to manufacture as much as 10,000 IU of vitamin D after 2030 minutes of summer sun exposure.2 But there are many limiting factors to internal vitamin D synthesis that include age, skin color, geographic latitude, seasonal variation in sunlight availability, and the widespread use of sunscreen, which all make it difficult for your body to produce the vitamin D it needs for optimal health through sun exposure alone.
Too much sun damages the skin, creating wrinkles and fine lines, while increasing skin cancer risk. Still, your skins ability to synthesize a portion of its daily requirement directly from sunlight3 makes vitamin D unique among all other nutrients.
How Should I Use Vitamin A & D Topical
Use exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Keep the baby’s diaper area as dry as possible. Change wet or soiled diapers immediately to keep wetness and bacteria from irritating the baby’s skin. Always put on a new diaper when the baby first wakes up in the morning, and also just before putting the baby to bed each night.
At each diaper changing, clean the baby’s skin thoroughly with a disposable baby wipe or clean wet washcloth. Gently wipe inside the skin folds between the thighs and genitals.
When cleaning the diaper area of a girl, always wipe from front.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
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