The down side of sun exposure.
It is probably easier to avoid the sun, than it is to avoid the subject about avoiding the sun. Talk about over exposure to the sun being known to cause skin cancer, dry skin, dehydration, and it ages our skin is everywhere on the news, in magazines and books. Knowing more about UVB’s and UVA’s and how Vitamin D fits in is a great way to uncover what matters. Our bodies need Vitamin D.
According to World Health Organization UVB:
- Is responsible for delayed tanning and burning
- Enhances skin aging
- Significantly promotes the development of skin cancer
- Most solar UVB is filtered by the atmosphere
As for UVA:
- UVA can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin
- Is responsible for the immediate tanning effects of the sun
- Contributes to skin aging and wrinkling
- It was once believed UVA could not cause any lasting damage
- Recent studies strongly suggest it may enhance the development of skin cancers
So is running from the sun the right answer?
In a word, no.
The up side of the Sun and Vitamin D.
Your body manufactures Vitamin D when you are exposed to the sun. Why is Vitamin D so important?
Vitamin D is still being widely researched, however, it is linked to prevention and/or treatment of several diseases, including multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, insulin resistance, cancers other than colorectal, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, hypertension, lower-extremity function, falls, dental health, and colorectal cancer.
Vitamin D has many other roles in the body including bone growth, modulation of cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation
Is it possible to get too much Vitamin D? Yes. It can cause Vitamin D Toxicity possibly leading to nonspecific symptoms such as anorexia, weight loss, polyuria, and heart arrhythmias. More seriously, it can also raise blood levels of calcium which leads to vascular and tissue calcification, with subsequent damage to the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys.
Twenty minutes of sun exposure daily to 6% exposed skin is necessary for maintaining our body’s own production of Vitamin D. So, are you counting on the sun for your Vitamin D? You’ll have to factor in many unknowns. Weather, pollution, time of day, your skin melanin content, how long you will be in the sun and how the use of sunscreen affect your body’s ability to get Vitamin D.
K! So now what?
Most people know Vitamin K as a blood coagulator. Clinical research studies show “this vitamin helps to regulate tissue calcium content and has growth-regulatory, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Vitamin K also has potent antioxidative properties and can regulate gene activity by binding with a specific receptor.”
As more and more basic and clinical research is done one thing is clear, Vitamin K and Vitamin D work well together like a symphony. A “Daily D” supplement with Vitamin K is essential to creating a synergistic effect for optimal bone and arterial health and for maintaining the immune system in proper balance.
The Synergy of Vitamin D and K
Studies show that taking a readily absorbable Vitamin D with K supplement can reduce the risk of fracture and increase bone density.
Osteoporosis and its less severe sister, osteopenia, are on the rise. A daily dose of Vitamin D from the sun is difficult to depend on, and our ability to insure our bodies are getting all Vitamin K we need from green leafy vegetables is not easy.
So, how do we avoid calcification of the arteries, osteoporosis, and raising our risk of fractures? How can we lower our blood pressure while raising our antioxidant power to protect our living cells against oxidative attack? By taking a supplement like Daily D which provides a clinically useful dose of vitamin D3 and vitamin K in the form of K1.
Insuring you are getting enough Vitamin D and Vitamin K can have lifelong benefits and put you on the sunnyside of health.
Sources for this article:
