Introduction
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D is a crucial component of helping preventing chronic diseases such as osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Vitamin D is also crucial to the operation of the immune system. Since most foods do not contain the vitamin D needed to meet recommended levels, many of us are forced to rely on the sun to help our bodies naturally produce vitamin D. Tanning bulbs can also supply the necessary stimulus for vitamin D production, but this comes with the same risks as overexposure to the sun.
UV Rays
Natural vitamin D production in the body relies on the effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays. The sun projects both UVA and UVB rays, but tanning bulbs rely more on the less harmful UVA radiation, with some bulbs producing small amounts of UVB as well. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, vitamin D is produced when UV rays interact with 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) which resides in the skin. The interactions set off a set of chemical reactions, which produces the vitamin. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, you only need a very short exposure to UV rays (a few minutes in midday sun) each day to produce enough of the vitamin. Overexposure to UV rays, which can easily occur with regular tanning, can actually destroy the vitamin in the body once production limits have been met.
Dangers
Beyond destroying vitamin D with too much exposure to UV rays during tanning, tanning bulbs also carry increased risks for other dangers. According to the Mayo Clinic, using tanning bulbs is not any safer than natural sunlight, and can put you at risk for both premature aging, and the development of skin cancer. UVA rays especially can increase your risks of developing melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer.
Sources of Vitamin D
Concerns about a vitamin D deficiency can be stemmed with another method of obtaining the vitamin: food consumption. For example, oily fish are great sources of vitamin D. Vitamin D-fortified beverages and dairy products are also growing in popularity, with fortified milk, margarine, yogurt and orange juice. These are all safe sources of vitamin D, without exposing yourself to harmful radiation.
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