Premium
Calculated Ultraviolet Exposure Levels for a Healthy Vitamin D Status
Author(s) -
Webb Ann R.,
Engelsen Ola
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.2006.tb09833.x
Subject(s) - sunburn , sunlight , sun exposure , vitamin d and neurology , vitamin , ultraviolet radiation , ultraviolet , sun protection , low latitude , medicine , ultraviolet light , toxicology , latitude , environmental science , environmental health , chemistry , dermatology , biology , physics , optoelectronics , optics , photochemistry , radiochemistry , astronomy
The dangers of overexposure to sunlight have been well publicized, but less attention has been given to an acknowledged benefit of exposure to UV radiation; that being the cutaneous synthesis of vitamin D 3 . Here we define a standard vitamin D dose on the basis of recently recommended requirements for vitamin D that take account of its risk reduction role in a variety of diseases, and present a web‐based tool that enables the reader to calculate associated exposure times for any time and place using either default values or user‐selected conditions. Either it is not possible to synthesize vitamin D 3 at high latitudes in winter, or the exposure time required to reach a standard dose is sometimes impractical. Where solar UV is sufficient, a risk‐benefit analysis of sunburn vs . vitamin D 3 synthesis shows that the best time for brief sun exposure is in the middle of the day. For low solar elevation angles common at high latitudes, a fine line exists between adequate UV exposure for vitamin D 3 synthesis and a risk of sun burn.