I've heard that sunblock prohibits us from absorbing vitamin D from the sun and some people even recommend against wearing it all the time because of this. What do you think?
There's been a lot of controversy about uv exposure, whether its good or bad, and whether sun exposure is best way for Vitamin D absorption. As a melanoma survivor, I feel my health is at risk with every unprotected exposure I have to the sun. I use sunblock every day, rain or shine because my skin cancer surgeon educated me to the realities. He explained to me how much uv exposure people are really gettting--in their cars, inside their homes next to bright sunny windows--and it is cumulative over a lifetime. Yikes! I choose to take 800 IU of vitamin D, daily and save my skin. I think it is irresponsible for anyone to urge that the use of tanning beds or unprotected sun exposure is the answer to improving Vitamin D absorption. I think that the overuse of so many personal care products that have skin penetration enhancers, brighteners, whiteners, hydroxy acids--you name it--especially makes going without sun protection a dangerous thing--especially for women! I know, I know, sounds like a rant--here are some recent articles that I think do a good job of explaining why the Vitamin D controversy continues--what do you think?
