Does Sunscreen Block Vitamin D Production?
Pexels / Ksenia Chernaya
You already know about the importance of sunscreen. It's gotten to the point where going outdoors without the stuff feels about as subversive as going outdoors fully naked. And if you actually still hit up tanning beds? People admit that with the same self-conscious, guilty giggle they use when they cop to smoking the occasional cigarette. (Bad!)
Most of the justifications people use to explain why they shun sunscreen are no longer valid: looking better with a tan (fake tan technology has come so far), the sun helping dry up acne (not true; avoiding sun is a better bet); sunscreen feeling gross gross (they just haven't tried the best options). But there's one question that still might be weighing on you: Does sunscreen block vitamin D? You've probably caught plenty of articles about how great vitamin D is. Research has indicated that it helps with bone health, muscle growth, and more. So, do the possible risks of wearing sunscreen (i.e. blocking vitamin D) outweigh the benefits?
No, according to Darrell Rigel M.D., a clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. "It always pays to protect yourself from the sun," he says. "We know there's a risk of getting skin cancer if you get too much sun. And yes, sunscreen reduces the amount of UVB rays that reach your skin, which in turn keeps your skin from converting vitamin D into its usable form. But there are a bunch of other ways to get enough vitamin D without putting yourself at risk of skin cancer."
The easiest way is to include vitamin D-rich foods in your diet, such as salmon or fortified milk or orange juice. If you're concerned that your vitamin D levels are still too low, you can touch base with your doctor to test your vitamin D levels and find out whether a vitamin D supplement may be the right move.
The truth is, though, you may not even need to up your intake. "No one wears sunscreen perfectly," says Dr. Rigel. People wear too little, or reapply infrequently, so chances are, you're getting exposed to at least some UVB rays no matter what. "Even if you're wearing a high SPF and reapplying it regularly, you are getting some UVB rays during day-to-day activities like walking from your car from the supermarket, and therefore converting some vitamin D," he adds.
While the answer to, "Does sunscreen stop vitamin D production?" is yes to an extent, you can get plenty of vitamin D without sunbathing unprotected. The bottom line: You can no longer bake on the beach under the pretext of "soaking up some vitamin D."
