You can soak up the sun’s health benefits—without the burn

You’ve probably heard that your body needs at least a little straight-up sunshine to produce good-for-you vitamin D. But ask your dermatologist, and she’ll tell you that it’s never a good idea to expose unprotected skin to the sun. So how do you get your vitamin D without increasing your risk of sunburn and skin cancer?

Good news: Your body can produce vitamin D even while you’re wearing sunscreen, according to new research from King’s College London’s Institute of Dermatology.

For the study, researchers measured the vitamin D levels of 79 men and women before and after a one-week beach trip to a Spanish island. Half of the participants made sure to properly apply a sunscreen with SPF 15, while the other half hit the beach with bare skin. As you would expect, sunscreen helped protect the sunbathers from burns. And as for vitamin D? Both groups’ vitamin D levels soared—a good thing, since this essential nutrient keeps your bones strong, boosts your immunity, fends off depression, and lowers your cancer risk, according to data from the National Institutes of Health.

While the bare-skinned group had slightly higher levels of vitamin D at the end of the study, researchers say that the difference between the groups wasn’t significant enough to warrant skipping sunscreen. That’s big news, considering previous research found that sunscreen can significantly inhibit vitamin D synthesis and that the National Institutes of Health currently recommends up to 30 minutes of unprotected sun exposure at least twice a week.

The thing is, the studies that came before this one weren’t perfect: They didn’t track the kinds and amounts of sunscreen used, relied on artificial light rather than sunlight, and/or failed to measure UV exposure, says the new study’s author, Antony Young, professor of experimental photobiology at King’s College London’s Institute of Dermatology.

Researchers still don’t know whether a higher SPF could interrupt vitamin D production or exactly how much sun you need for sufficient vitamin D synthesis, says Young. One thing’s for sure, though: Regular use of sunscreen can lower your risk of skin cancer—and based on Young’s findings, slathering on sunscreen looks like it won’t block the sun you need to ward off vitamin D deficiency.

photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

More from WH:

Why You Need Vitamin D

Vitamin D: Do You Get Enough?

Delicious Ways to Eat More Essential Nutrients

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