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Even with the strong summer sunlight, people risk vitamin D deficiency

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Unhealthy vitamin D tests become a common occurrence during the summer months because many people tend to avoid the sun's rays, experts say. While they may help protect the skin from harmful radiation, it also leads to lower levels of the important nutrient.

The main source that humans have for vitamin D is the sun. The nutrient is produced naturally by the skin following exposure to ultraviolet light. Unfortunately, this is the same type of solar radiation that has also been connected to cancer risk.

While most people know that exposure to the sun may contribute to skin cancer, few are aware that it is also necessary for the production of vitamin D. This makes it less likely that a person will balance their need for a certain amount of sun exposure against a desire to protect their skin, and many simply shun the sun altogether during the summer.

The National Office of Dietary Supplements states that because vitamin D is naturally present in so few foods, sun exposure is a vital source of the important nutrient. People who never expose their skin to direct sunlight run the risk of developing a deficiency and should consider vitamin D testing.