You need vitamin D to absorb calcium and keep your bones strong. Vitamin D also plays a role in immune function, cell growth and neuromuscular function. Your body can make vitamin D if your skin is exposed to sunlight, but certain factors, including the use of sunscreen, can partially or fully block your body's ability to make vitamin D.
Sunscreen and Vitamin D
If you wear sunscreen with SPF 30 on all exposed skin whenever you spend time outside, you reduce your body's ability to make vitamin D by 95 percent to 99 percent, according to a July 2010 Fox News report. However, most people don't actually use sunscreen as directed, and don't actually cover all exposed skin. This makes the sunscreen less effective and also reduces its ability to block vitamin D production by your body, according to an article published in "The New York Times" in February 2009.
Vitamin D Deficiency
If you don't spend time in the sun without sunscreen or take vitamin D supplements, it can be difficult to meet your vitamin D requirements, since you need to rely on food alone. This puts you at a higher risk for vitamin D deficiency. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include skeletal deformities and soft bones in children, and weak bones and muscles and bone pain in adults. Frequent illness and fatigue are also symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.
Preventing Deficiency
To prevent deficiency, adults should try to consume at least 600 IU of vitamin D per day from foods including fortified milk and dairy products, fatty fish, cheese, beef liver, fortified orange juice, eggs and fortified cereals. Spending just 30 minutes in the sun without sunscreen twice a week is enough for many people to get the vitamin D they need, and taking a vitamin D supplement each day can help make up any shortfall.
Considerations
Speak with your doctor before taking a vitamin D supplement, and don't take more than the tolerable upper intake limit, which is 4,000 IU per day for people 9 and older. Taking too much vitamin D could result in toxicity since it is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in your body. If you do spend time in the sun without sunscreen, do not stay out unprotected long enough to get a sunburn, as this can increase your risk for skin cancer.
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