ss e s
A D o c t o r D is c u
Sun Expo
sure
and
V i ta
min
D
W
hat difference
Pam
does winter
Hiebert, MD
make, compared to summer, in terms of our exposure to the sun?
By
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is produced in the skin from sunlight and ultraviolet
light. It is also absorbed in the intestine as
part of the diet. Vitamin D is found in fortified
milk, fatty fish, cod-liver oil and eggs. In Montana we need to supplement all year round.
Vit D is made naturally in the skin under the
influence of sunlight. The amount of sunlight
needed to for adequate Vitamin D depends on:
1) age (synthesis decreases as we get older);
2) skin color (people with darker skin need
more sun exposure);
3) sun exposure (people farther from the equator, such as in Montana get less sun exposure
during the winter and people who are in
institutions or spend most of their time indoors.) Even healthy young people in Montana have been shown to have low levels of
vitamin D at the end of winter. More people
wear sunscreen as well as clothing to protect
their skin from skin cancer and aging, so
sunlight may be an unpredictable source at
all latitudes.
4) people with medical conditions, such as celiac
disease, intestinal malabsorption, liver disease, kidney disease, and certain medications
that decrease vitamin D levels.
www.distinctlymontana.com
69
