HealthTree Blog

Vitamin D is a vitamin, of course, but it is the only vitamin that the body can make on its own. It manufacture does not have to rely on specific food sources or anything else. All the body needs to make Vitamin D is fifteen to thirty minutes of exposure to the sunlight several times a week.
Vitamin D is considered a fat-soluble vitamin. This means that it dissolves upon contact with fat, allowing it to be absorbed more readily into the body. Once absorbed into the body, Vitamin D is then stored in the liver. From there, a conversion process begins so that the body will be able to use the components found in the vitamin.
The conversion process involves two stages: conversion into calcidiol and then conversion into calcitriol. Both stages are important, but it is the second stage that is most crucial, because it is calcitriol that allows the body to absorb calcium and phosphorous. These two minerals are important to bone health.
Because the main source of Vitamin D is sunlight, many people do not get enough Vitamin D. One reason for this is because some people become so concerned with preventing the risk of skin cancer that can come with prolonged sun exposure they erroneously believe that any sun exposure is not good.
In order to protect themselves from the risk of skin cancer, people will use sunscreen products with a higher SPF factor than may be needed. Sunscreen is intended to prevent sunburn, and each person’s skin can tolerate different amounts of sunlight. Therefore, while it is important to use sunscreen, the trick is to use a high enough protection factor that sunburn does not occur, but the body can still absorb some Vitamin D.
People should remember also that the key to avoiding sunburn and the risk of skin cancer is to limit sun exposure during the hours when sunlight is at its strongest—usually 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. So, getting out before 10:00 or after 3:00 or limiting the time in the sun to a few minutes each hour during those hours will still allow the body to absorb Vitamin D.