Pale Skin May Result in Vitamin D Deficiency
While it is important for all types of skin to get proper care and protection, when it comes to sun exposure, fair skinned people tend to overdo it. Those with pale skin, also, make more efforts to avoid the sun, altogether. This may lower the chances and likelihood of getting melanoma and other skin cancers, it also causes a deficiency of vitamin D.
Pale skinned or those with fair complexions are at higher risk of suffering from sunburns. Exposure to the sun, and especially sunburns, can lead to serious skin related health issues, including cancers. To help prevent these issues, a strong sunscreen with a high SPF level is often used.
While this certainly helps block the rays of the sun and lowers the risk of suffering from these problems, the result may be the inability to produce enough. The good news is that they may still be able to benefit from the positive effects of a vitamin D supplement.
About Vitamin D and our Bodies
The human body produces vitamin D as a direct result from exposure to sunlight. A minimum of 10-15 minutes a day of exposure is recommended. In recent years, vitamin D has gotten a good deal of public attention, as researchers begin to truly understand the importance, and functions, of this vitamin. A lack of the right amount of vitamin D in the body can lead to problems like fragile bones, cancer, diabetes, just to name a few. Not to mention, exposure to sunlight is also thought to help in the treatment and prevention of depression.
Of course, vitamin D comes from things we ingest, too. Aside from supplements, you can find vitamin D in foods like milk, eggs and certain types of fish, just to name a few. Even our own DNA can have an impact on the amount of vitamin D we produce or that we have in our bodies.
About the Study
The recent study showed exactly that, fair-skinned people were more likely to have lower levels of vitamin D. This does not necessarily result in complications from this deficiency, but increases the risk. Those pale complexioned participants in the study group, admitted to using a good deal of sunscreen, covering up more when outdoors and even avoiding the sun, altogether.
Of course, too much of vitamin D can be an issue, as well. While having an actual overdose of vitamin D is rare, those taking supplements should just work to get the recommended daily dose. If your diet already enables you to get a fair amount of vitamin D, then using too much for the supplemental amount, may not be a good idea.
The bottom line is that you should be monitoring your levels of vitamin D. This is especially true if you are fair or pale skinned and tend to avoid sunlight, or use sunscreen and clothing to stay protected from it. Be sure to try to stay within the guidelines of how much you should be getting, though.