Hormonal
Sensible sun exposure produces vitamin D3 in the skin, which is metabolized into 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, regulating calcium/phosphate metabolism and influencing chronic disease risk (autoimmune, cancer, cardiovascular, infectious, schizophrenia, type 2 diabetes).
Get sensible sun exposure to support your vitamin D levels, especially if you live at higher latitudes, have darker skin, or are older. The body regulates production to prevent toxicity, so you don't need to worry about overdose from the sun. If you cannot get enough sun, consider food fortification or supplements as part of a three-part strategy.
Sun induced vitamin D synthesis is greatly influenced by season, time of day, latitude, altitude, air pollution, skin pigmentation, sunscreen use, passing through glass and plastic, and aging. vitamin D is metabolized sequentially in the liver and kidneys into 25-hydroxyvitamin D which is a major circulating form and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D which is the biologically active form respectively. 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D plays an important role in regulating calcium and phosphate metabolism for maintenance of metabolic functions and for skeletal health. As a result 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D influences a large number of biologic pathways which may help explain association studies relating vitamin D deficiency and living at higher latitudes with increased risk for many chronic diseases including autoimmune diseases, some cancers, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes.
Why this rating
The paper is a comprehensive review citing numerous association studies and historical clinical observations, though it acknowledges the distinction between association and causation for chronic diseases.
Source
Sunlight and Vitamin D
Matthias G. Wacker et al. · Dermato-Endocrinology · 2013
DOI 10.4161/derm.24494
More from this paper
- Skin pigmentation (melanin) acts as a natural sunscreen, reducing the efficiency of cutaneous vitamin D3 synthesis, requiring darker-skinned individuals to have longer sun exposure to achieve similar vitamin D levels as lighter-skinned individuals.Good
- Aging significantly decreases the skin's capacity to produce vitamin D3, requiring older adults to have greater sun exposure or supplementation to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.Good
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →