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You do have to weigh the impact on vision, like cataracts from UV exposure...and the effect of sun on skin cancer chances, especially if you are fair complected.
Yes, the flip side of trying to get so much vitamin D from the sun is that we increase our risk of skin cancer and cataracts too. We should be using sunscreen for protection against skin cancer. Everyone I talk to who is older is getting skin cancers that need to be removed and it's because they got maybe one sunburn when they were younger. The doctors tell then to not get any more sun exposure. So it looks like we have to take vitamin D supplements. I get enough D3 in with my calcium supplement--I was tested and the dr said that it was unusual to not be deficient in vitamin D.
I've had two small skin cancers. Both of my parents and all six of my siblings have also had them, including the ones who have lived most of their lives in Seattle and don't spend much time outside. So there is an extremely strong genetic component in my family. If you are not very fair-skinned and don't have any family history of skin cancer, your risk would probably be much lower. But for people like me, it's better to wear sunscreen and take vitamin D than even attempt to use the sun for all of our D needs.
I have worn contacts for decades. Most contacts have built-in UV protection; my eyes are in great shape with no signs of cataract or sun damage, even though I never wore sunglasses until I was in my later 30s. I wear them now because I don't like glare, but people who wear contacts probably don't NEED sunglasses to guard their eyes (check that your variety is UV-protective).
Basically if you are low in any Vitamin you should fix it. You eat healthy and exercise, you should make sure your blood sugar and pressure are under control.
Generally speaking, the healthier you are, the better your immune system.
That's not new news.
But taking Vitamin D if you do not have a deficiency? Probably wasting your money and certainly not protection from Covid19.
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Basically if you are low in any Vitamin you should fix it. You eat healthy and exercise, you should make sure your blood sugar and pressure are under control.
Generally speaking, the healthier you are, the better your immune system.
That's not new news.
But taking Vitamin D if you do not have a deficiency? Probably wasting your money and certainly not protection from Covid19.
If you don't know your vitamin D status, and you would not know unless you had had a recent blood test, it's far better to err on the side of assuming you are deficient than assuming you're fine. A large percentage of the population is deficient or at least under optimal levels.
2000 iu/day will harm almost no one and has a very high chance of doing good. There is strong evidence that vitamin D is protective against respiratory viruses, and there is no reason to think that doesn't include COVID-19.
I was feeling fine too until I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I wish someone had told me low levels of vitamin d was a risk factor.
Great post. I actually felt fine when I was deficient. Other than having a cold every winter (which I thought was normal). But clearly vitamin D has been helpful in my life.
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Basically if you are low in any Vitamin you should fix it.
Vitamin D is actually a hormone. It unfortunately was named wrong. It is much harder to know if you have a proper Vitamin D level because the amount you take does not necessarily translate to the amount you have in your body. In addition the current RDA is insanely low for most people and does not take into account factors that reduce available Vitamin D such as fat.
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There is strong evidence that vitamin D is protective against respiratory viruses, and there is no reason to think that doesn't include COVID-19.
Hasn't it also been shown to help with COVID-19? I thought there was an irish study? But no matter what cracks me up is that the fear mongers out there like to make it like covid-19 is from another planet and doesn't obey the same laws of viruses that all other viruses do.
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Yes, the flip side of trying to get so much vitamin D from the sun is that we increase our risk of skin cancer
Yes I am not a big sun fan. I just don't get good vitamin D from the sun and my skin gets destroyed. I have seen no evidence yet that supplementation is not just as good as sunlight.
I believe many Americans are beyond the help of vaccines and supplements with this virus. They need antibodies and antiviral meds specifically against COVID19. What good are vitamin D for cancer patients or people with hypertension? It may won't improve a weakened immune system of someone that is not in good health.
Vaccines are for people with working immune system, won't work for people with any kind of autoimmune diseases and certainty vitamin D will have little benefit here. Vitamin D works as a cell protector and healer, they body also needs Zinc which acts as a virus shield for your cells.
These nutrients are good for healthy people but unless people wear PPE, it's not enough for the general public.
Why do you think it should be 'instead of'? It's quite possible to both wear a mask and get 15 minutes of direct sunlight on your arms. I do it every day.
BTW, while the mask probably helps protect me from you, the main reason I wear it is to protect you from me. So you shouldn't be discouraging me from wearing a mask.
If only the masks would muffle the hate spewing out of some people's mouths.
I've come to the conclusion that some people are only happy when they have something to hate and a target for all their anger.
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