Vitamin D and UV exposure

Key messages

• The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that healthy adults should obtain an adequate amount of Vitamin D from a diet that includes foods naturally rich in vitamin D and/or foods/beverages fortified with vitamin D. (1)

• Because ultraviolet rays from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer, the American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend getting vitamin D from sun exposure or indoor tanning.

  • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization’s International Agency of Research on Cancer panel have declared UV radiation from the sun and artificial sources, such as tanning beds and sun lamps, to be a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance). (2,3)

  • Unprotected exposure to UV rays from the sun or indoor tanning devices is a known risk factor for the development of skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. (4-9)

• Vitamin D is critical for bone health; however, there is insufficient evidence to suggest its role in influencing or reducing the incidence of other diseases like certain types of cancer, neurologic disease, infectious disease, autoimmune disease, or cardiovascular disease. (10,11)

  • The National Academy of Medicine found the evidence linking vitamin D to health benefits beyond bone health to be inconsistent, inconclusive, and insufficient for setting nutritional guidelines. (10,12)

Supporting messages

Bridge to these messages by using phrases like: “It’s important to know,” “I want to emphasize,” “Many may not know,” “Let me share what I’ve been seeing.” Build off these messages by leveraging your expertise about this topic.

• There is no safe level of UV exposure from the sun or indoor tanning devices that allows for maximum vitamin D synthesis without increasing skin cancer risk. (13)

• To protect against UV-induced skin cancer, the AAD recommends a comprehensive sun protection plan that includes seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to all skin not covered by clothing. (14,15)

• It only takes a small amount of sun exposure to produce all the vitamin D your body needs. One study of people with lighter skin tones in the Boston area determined that 5 to 10 minutes of sun on the face, arms and legs two or three times a week during the summer months was enough to produce sufficient amounts of vitamin D.16 Even if you apply sunscreen, you’ll still get that minimum amount of sun exposure, as most people do not apply the recommended amount of sunscreen, which is typically enough to fill a shot glass. (17,18)

• Research has also shown that individuals with darker skin tones may be at increased risk for lower levels of vitamin D. (19-22)

• Research has shown getting too much Vitamin D can cause potential harm you. (10,19,23)

• If you have questions about how much Vitamin D you are getting or what your Vitamin D level should be, talk to your doctor.

Related Academy resources for the public

References

1. Position Statement On Vitamin D American Academy of Dermatology. Updated 11/5/2022. Accessed 9/30/2024, https://server.aad.org/forms/policies/Uploads/PS/PS-Vitamin%20D.pdf

2. 15th Report on Carcinogens. National Toxicology Program. Updated 02/13/2024. Accessed 09/26/2024, https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/whatwestudy/assessments/cancer/roc

3. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans Volume 100D. World Health Organization Updated 11/14/2012. Accessed 9/26/2024, https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/iarc-monographs-on-the-evaluation-of-carcinogenic-risks-to-humans-volume-100d

4. O'Sullivan DE, Brenner DR, Demers PA, et al. Indoor tanning and skin cancer in Canada: A meta-analysis and attributable burden estimation. Cancer Epidemiol. Apr 2019;59:1-7. doi:10.1016/j.canep.2019.01.004

5. Colantonio S, Bracken MB, Beecker J. The association of indoor tanning and melanoma in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. May 2014;70(5):847-57 e1-18. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2013.11.050

6. Boniol M, Autier P, Boyle P, Gandini S. Cutaneous melanoma attributable to sunbed use: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. Jul 24 2012;345:e4757. doi:10.1136/bmj.e4757

7. Arnold M, Kvaskoff M, Thuret A, Guenel P, Bray F, Soerjomataram I. Cutaneous melanoma in France in 2015 attributable to solar ultraviolet radiation and the use of sunbeds. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. Oct 2018;32(10):1681-1686. doi:10.1111/jdv.15022

8. Arnold M, de Vries E, Whiteman DC, et al. Global burden of cutaneous melanoma attributable to ultraviolet radiation in 2012. Int J Cancer. Sep 15 2018;143(6):1305-1314. doi:10.1002/ijc.31527

9. Parkin DM, Mesher D, Sasieni P. 13. Cancers attributable to solar (ultraviolet) radiation exposure in the UK in 2010. Br J Cancer. Dec 6 2011;105 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S66-9. doi:10.1038/bjc.2011.486

10. Ross AC, Manson JE, Abrams SA, et al. The 2011 report on dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D from the Institute of Medicine: what clinicians need to know. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2011;96(1):53-58.

11. Force USPST, Mangione CM, Barry MJ, et al. Vitamin, Mineral, and Multivitamin Supplementation to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. Jun 21 2022;327(23):2326-2333. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.8970

12. Vitamin D Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated 06/26/2024. Accessed 9/26/2024, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

13. Pierret L, Suppa M, Gandini S, Del Marmol V, Gutermuth J. Overview on vitamin D and sunbed use. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 2019;33:28-33.

14. van der Pols JC, Williams GM, Pandeya N, Logan V, Green AC. Prolonged prevention of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin by regular sunscreen use. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. Dec 2006;15(12):2546-8. doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-06-0352

15. Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun. U.S. FDA. Updated 08/16/2024. Accessed 9/26/2024, https://www.fda.gov/drugs/understanding-over-counter-medicines/sunscreen-how-help-protect-your-skin-sun

16. Trummer C, Pandis M, Verheyen N, et al. Beneficial Effects of UV-Radiation: Vitamin D and beyond. Int J Environ Res Public Health. Oct 19 2016;13(10)doi:10.3390/ijerph13101028

17. Norval M, Wulf HC. Does chronic sunscreen use reduce vitamin D production to insufficient levels? British Journal of Dermatology. 2009;161(4):732-736. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2133.2009.09332.x

18. Neale RE, Khan SR, Lucas R, Waterhouse M, Whiteman DC, Olsen C. The effect of sunscreen on vitamin D: a review. British Journal of Dermatology. 2019;181(5):907-915.

19. Kechichian E, Ezzedine K. Vitamin D and the Skin: An Update for Dermatologists. Am J Clin Dermatol. Apr 2018;19(2):223-235. doi:10.1007/s40257-017-0323-8

20. Rajan S, Weishaar T, Keller B. Weight and skin colour as predictors of vitamin D status: results of an epidemiological investigation using nationally representative data. Public health nutrition. 2017;20(10):1857-1864.

21. Libon F, Cavalier E, Nikkels A. Skin color is relevant to vitamin D synthesis. Dermatology. 2013;227(3):250-254.

22. Singh Ospina N, Diaz-Thomas A, McDonnell ME, et al. Navigating complexities: vitamin D, skin pigmentation, and race. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2024:dgae314.

23. Vitamin D Fact Sheet for Consumers. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Updated 11/08/2022. Accessed 9/30/2024, https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/#:~:text=Yes%2C%20getting%20too%20much%20vitamin,and%20thirst%2C%20and%20kidney%20stones.

Last updated: 12/04/24