“Sunshine vitamin” can be supplemented by sunshine! But pay attention to these points

Many years ago, scientists discovered that sun exposure can supplement vitamin D. When 7-dehydrocholesterol on the surface of human skin encounters ultraviolet rays in the sun, it will produce this vitamin. About 80% of the endogenous vitamin D in the human body is synthesized in the skin and only 20% is taken from food, so vitamin D is also called “sunshine vitamin”.

More than 200 years ago, when a Polish doctor took urban children suffering from rickets (or soft bones) to the countryside for summer vacation, he found the relationship between sunshine and bone health. In fact, vitamin D is not only good for bone health, but also good for heart, metabolism and immune system health.

Vitamin D is absorbed by the blood and converted into an active form (an open loop steroid hormone) and a storage form (25 hydroxyvitamin D) – it functions more like a hormone than a vitamin. Therefore, adequate vitamin D has an important impact on health.

The potential health benefits of vitamin D include:

Promote calcium absorption and keep bones and teeth strong

Good for heart health and immune function

Promote healthy cell development

It is worth noting that vitamin D can only be produced when exposed skin is exposed to sunlight. Therefore, more sunshine is needed in winter to supplement adequate vitamin D.

How long does it take to bask in the sun?

In winter and spring, expose your face and upper arms to the sun for 10 to 30 minutes. In summer, because of the strong ultraviolet light, there are many exposed parts, so you can receive direct sunlight for 5 to 10 minutes. Two to three times a week can make your body produce enough vitamin D. Most people can spend 10 to 20 minutes in the sun every day.

Is it effective to bask in the sun through the glass?

Exposure to the sun through glass will greatly reduce the effect, because the penetration of UVB is relatively poor. It is almost invalid to bask in the sun through glass at home, because the transmittance of UVB will be greatly reduced, thus affecting the human body’s synthesis of vitamin D. The best place to bask in the sun is outdoors. You must bask in the sun indoors for various reasons. You must also open the window to let the sun directly contact the skin.