Here’s how it works for most of us: we decide that we need a vacation. Somewhere sunny, somewhere hot. We find a good vacation deal with Expedia.com (or these secret prices on hotels from Orbitz, book it, and then load up on sunscreen. You don’t want to get sunburned while you’re on vacation, right? Well…the situation is actually more complicated than that.

Every time when we go out, we make it a point to bring with us our sunscreen to prevent our skin from coming into direct contact with the sunlight. We have been taught since we were little kids that direct sunlight may cause skin cancer and other terrible skin ailments. Our dalliance with the sunscreen is therefore understandable because nobody wants to get cancer. Nobody even wants to have any sort of disease that may leave ugly spots on their skin, leave alone having many health effects. Better safe than sorry, right?

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is often considered more of a hormone than a vitamin because it serves many functions in the body and its deficiency has many effects. It is responsible for bone growth and bone remodeling. Its deficiency makes the bones thin, weak and sometimes misshapen. This could cause rickets in children and osteomalaciain adults. It has other functions in the body as well, such as enhancing cell growth, body immunity and reducing inflammation. It is therefore a very important vitamin in the body. Here is why we need vitamin D.

Vitamin D Deficiency

Research has shown that increased sunscreen use has led to reduced production of Vitamin D in many people’s bodies. The reason for this is that many sunscreens have components such as SPF 15 and oxybenzone that hinder the production of vitamin D by great levels.The research, which was published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, found that approximately one billion people around the world suffer from Vitamin D deficiency. This accounts for 14% of the entire world population, indicating a cause for concern. Researchers found that there are two main causes of Vitamin D deficiency; chronic disease such as type 2 diabetes and inadequate exposure to the sun.

What to Do

But how do we ensure Vitamin D production in our bodies? Do we risk cancer by busking in the sun with our skin unprotected for lengthy periods? Well, no. Not quite. The most present source of vitamin D is direct sunlight. There are vitamin D receptors in arguably every cell in the human body. Therefore, the best way to increase the vitamin’s production in the body is by ensuring that your skin comes into contact with direct sunlight over substantial amounts of time o a regular basis. Doctors advice that we spend between five and thirty minutes out in the midday sun at least two times every week to ensure sufficient production of the vitamin. During these sessions, it is important not to apply sunscreen on your skin due to its Vitamin D production hindrance tendencies.