Is Vitamin D deficiency caused by excessive sun protection?

That's not entirely true.

Vitamin D is an important hormone precursor that is primarily produced by the skin in response to sunlight. While sunscreens are effective in preventing skin cancer and other photodamage, they can hinder the skin's ability to synthesize vitamin D.

However, vitamin D deficiency is not simply due to excessive sun protection, as a variety of factors can affect vitamin D levels.

First of all, the sources of vitamin D are not limited to sunlight exposure, but also include diet and supplements. Foods rich in vitamin D such as fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods can provide the vitamin D needed by the body. In addition, an individual's genes, metabolic status, and health status also affect vitamin D levels.

Secondly, the synthesis of vitamin D is also affected by factors such as age, skin color, geographical location and lifestyle. For example, the ability of the skin of the elderly to synthesize vitamin D is reduced, people with dark skin need more sunlight exposure to synthesize the same amount of vitamin D, people living in high latitudes receive less sunlight in winter, and people who work or live indoors for a long time are also less exposed to sunlight.

Although sun protection measures may reduce the chance of skin exposure to ultraviolet rays, thereby affecting the synthesis of vitamin D, reasonable sun protection measures are necessary to reduce the risk of photoaging and skin cancer. In addition, studies have shown that even when using sunscreen, a moderate amount of sunlight still helps maintain the production of vitamin D.

In summary, the causes of vitamin D deficiency are multifaceted and cannot be attributed solely to excessive sun protection. The correct approach is to balance protection and sun exposure to ensure adequate vitamin D production while taking other measures to supplement possible deficiencies.

Author: Tang Jiaoqing, MD, attending physician of dermatology

Review | Feng Jun, deputy chief physician of the Dermatology Department of Sinopharm Tongmei General Hospital