The Darker Your Skin, The Higher Your Risk of Vitamin D Deficiency
Written by Matt O'Connor, Certified Nutritionist & Founder of Honour Health
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The main way that we get vitamin D is through the UVB rays from the sun.
The sun's rays penetrate our skin & our body goes through a range of complex physiological processes to turn this into active vitamin D.
And this is where your skin tone skin comes into play.
Because darker skin tones have an almost natural barrier protecting itself from the sun's rays called Melanin.
Melanin & Vitamin D
Melanin is a natural pigment that provides colour to your skin.
And the amount of melanin you have is mostly influenced by your genetics (factors like sun exposure / tanning, hormones & age also play a role).
The more melanin that you have, the harder it is for the sun's UVB rays to penetrate through the skin and start this process of making vitamin D.
It's almost like the sun's rays are just bouncing off your skin.
Compared to someone with a lighter skin tone where the sun's rays are more easily penetrating through.
Melanin is like a Natural Sunscreen
This is the same principle as sunscreen, where a barrier is applied over the skin, to reduce UV exposure from the sun.
This can help reduce potential damage from the sun.
But the same as melanin, it's blocking the sun's UVB rays, increasing the long term risk of vitamin D deficiency.
So what is the actual impact of this?
In essence the darker that your skin tone is,
The harder it is for the sun's UVB rays to penetrate through your skin.
Which can increase your risk of developing a vitamin D deficiency.
Impacts of a Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D impacts almost every single cell in your body.
And a deficiency can impact areas like your bone health, muscle health, your energy & your mood.
So to say vitamin D is important for our health is an absolute understatement.
If you do have a darker skin tone, just be mindful that the amount of vitamin D you need & the amount of time that you need to spend in the sun, is higher than someone with a lighter skin tone.
How much vitamin D do you need
How much time you need to spend in the sun varies a lot between individuals.
And general recommendations for someone who has a relatively fair skin complexion ranges anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes per day, with as much skin exposed to the sun as possible.
Although the only true way to determine whether you might be deficient in vitamin D is through a blood test.
So if you do have concerns that you're not getting enough sun, especially if you do have a darker skin tone.
It would be worth running some blood tests and following up with your health care professional to see if you could be deficient in vitamin D.
Especially if you're dealing with any symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency like low energy fatigue, your muscles and your bones are always feeling sore.
Or you're always getting sick.
The information provided here is for general informational purposes only & should not be considered as professional medical advice or a substitute for consulting with a healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.