As I sat at the pool this weekend, I realized Labor Day is soon upon us. The poolside days are winding down, and summer is quickly coming to an end once again. Have you stored up enough Vitamin D for the winter?
If you are currently undergoing cancer treatment, it’s likely that you have not, as you probably haven’t spent much time in the sun – our main source of Vitamin D. It’s not uncommon to “hibernate” by spending less time in the sun while undergoing cancer treatment. Some chemo meds make you more sun sensitive, and often you simply don’t feel well enough to be at the pool or beach.
Technically not a vitamin, “Vitamin” D is produced in your skin as a response to sunlight and acts more like a hormone in the body than a vitamin. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, meaning it can be stored; however, without replenishing Vitamin D regularly through foods, sunlight and/or supplements, levels will eventually decline.
Low Vitamin D levels have been linked to many different illnesses, including cancer. Even if you do get outdoors, cloud cover, sunscreen with SPF higher than 8 and glass can all block the ultraviolet rays that produce Vitamin D in the skin.
How much sunlight exposure is needed?
According to some Vitamin D researchers, 5–30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at least two times per week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually leads to adequate Vitamin D production. If you get less sun exposure than this, include food sources of Vitamin D and/or take a supplement to achieve recommended levels listed below.
How much can we get through diet?
According to the Institute of Medicine, adults up to age 70 should get 600 IU of Vitamin D per day, and adults over age 70 should get 800 IU per day. The best food sources of Vitamin D include:
*Source: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D from the Office of Dietary Supplements of the NIH.
How do you know if you have enough?
Ask your primary care physician for a test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or 25(OH)D test. Although optimal levels for those who have cancer are still being debated, the Vitamin D Council recommends that Vitamin D blood levels be around 50-80 ng/mL (125-200 nmol/L) for optimum health. Other sources recommend having levels greater than 32 ng/mL. Talk with your physician or oncologist about what your test results mean for you, especially if you have a history of bone loss, such as osteopenia or osteoporosis.
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