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Annals of Advanced Biomedical Sciences Research Article 4 min read

Therapeutic Toxicity of Sunshine Vitamin with Zeitgeber Times

Tanveer AK*
* Corresponding author
ISSN: 2641-9459  10.23880/aabsc-16000141  Received: September 28, 2019  Published: October 11, 2019
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Abstract

Vitamin D is a vitamin found in fewer amounts in most of world population. More than 40% American adults and 65% Pakistani population have deficiency of this vitamin [1]. It is synthesized in skin. Ultraviolet radiations penetrate into the epidermis when a body is exposed to sunlight. Body photolysis pro vitamin D3 to pre vitamin D3 and ultimately to vitamin D3 [2]. Therefore, it is also called as “the sunshine vitamin”. It is an essential component of our optimal health [3]. It also directs cells for absorption of calcium and phosphorus, the major source of strong bones. Low vitamin D3 levels may lead to serious health disorders such as osteoporosis, cancer, depression, muscle weakness etc [4]. In addition, only a handful of foods contain significant amounts of vitamin D3. These include cod liver oil, swordfish, salmon, canned tuna, beef liver, egg yolks and sardines. However, sunlight is an important source of vitamin D3 intake. It is important here to note that ultraviolet rays of sun cannot penetrate through windows. So, people who work in front of sunny windows are unable to get vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is beneficial even in large amounts because Melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer) is often found on the least exposed areas of body to sun. Similarly, occupational skin exposure is associated with reduced risk of Melanoma [5].

Editorial

Vitamin D is a vitamin found in fewer amounts in most of world population. More than 40% American adults and 65% Pakistani population have deficiency of this vitamin [1]. It is synthesized in skin. Ultraviolet radiations penetrate into the epidermis when a body is exposed to sunlight. Body photolysis pro vitamin D3 to pre vitamin D3 and ultimately to vitamin D3 [2]. Therefore, it is also called as “the sunshine vitamin”. It is an essential component of our optimal health [3]. It also directs cells for absorption of calcium and phosphorus, the major source of strong bones. Low vitamin D3 levels may lead to serious health disorders such as osteoporosis, cancer, depression, muscle weakness etc [4]. In addition, only a handful of foods contain significant amounts of vitamin D3. These include cod liver oil, swordfish, salmon, canned tuna, beef liver, egg yolks and sardines. However, sunlight is an important source of vitamin D3 intake. It is important here to note that ultraviolet rays of sun cannot penetrate through windows. So, people who work in front of sunny windows are unable to get vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 is beneficial even in large amounts because Melanoma (the deadliest skin cancer) is often found on the least exposed areas of body to sun. Similarly, occupational skin exposure is associated with reduced risk of Melanoma [5].

Vitamin D3 is necessary for our optimal health and one source of this sunshine vitamin is sunlight but one question arises here. At which time, one should expose the skin to get sufficient amount of vitamin D3? In summer season, middle of the day is best time to expose against sunlight. Ultraviolet rays are most intense at this time and one needs to expose less in sun to get sufficient amount of this vitamin [6]. Various studies suggested that noon is the best time when body makes vitamin D3 efficiently [7, 8]. In United Kingdom, 10-15 minutes of exposure to sun, three times a week, is sufficient to maintain vitamin D3 levels while in Pakistan, 6-8 minutes are sufficient [6]. However, 30 minutes of exposure to sunlight is necessary in Scandinavian countries to consume 10,000 to 20,000 IU of vitamin D3 [9]. Exposure to sun in late hours or in afternoons may increase the risk of various skin cancers [10]. This exposure of body to sunlight is good to get vitamin D3 but how much skin should offer to get sufficient vitamin D3. Some scientists and experts recommend that one third of skin area should be exposed to sun for sufficient vitamin D3 intake [6].

There is also a myth that it is easy to overdose on vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 toxicity is very rare and only happens if one takes very high doses for extended periods [11]. Consequently, excess of vitamin D3 through sunlight with respect to zeitgeber time is not bad and we can claim vitamin D3 a therapeutic toxic.

References

  1. Forrest KY, Stuhldreher WL (2011) Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in US adults. Nutrition research 31(1): 48-54.
  2. Holick MF, Smith E, Pincus S (1987) Skin as the site of vitamin D synthesis and target tissue for 1, 25- dihydroxyvitamin D3: use of calcitriol (1, 25- dihydroxyvitamin D3) for treatment of psoriasis. Archives of dermatology 123(12): 1677-1683a.
  3. Holick MF (2016) Biological effects of sunlight, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, infrared radiation and vitamin D for health. Anticancer research 36(3): 1345-1356.
  4. Holick MF (2007) Vitamin D deficiency. New England Journal of Medicine 357(3): 266-281.
  5. Kennedy C, Bajdik CD, Willemze R, De Gruijl FR, Bouw es Bavinck JN, et al. (2003) The influence of painful sunburns and lifetime sun exposure on the risk of actinic keratoses, seborrheic warts, melanocytic nevi, atypical nevi, and skin cancer. J Invest Dermatol 120(6): 1087-1093.
  6. Rhodes LE, Webb AR, Fraser HI, Kift R, Durkin MT, et al. (2010) Recommended summer sunlight exposure levels can produce sufficient (≥ 20 ng ml− 1) but not the proposed optimal (≥ 32 ng ml− 1) 25 (OH) D levels at UK latitudes. Journal of Investigative Dermatology 130(5): 1411-1418.
  7. Harinarayan CV, Holick MF, Prasad UV, Vani PS, Himabindu G (2013) Vitamin D status and sun exposure in India. Dermato-endocrinology 5(1): 130- 141.
  8. Alshahrani FM, Almalki MH, Aljohani N, Alzahrani A, Alsaleh Y, et al. (2013) Vitamin D: Light side and best time of sunshine in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dermato- endocrinology 5(1): 177-180.
  9. Cicarma E, Porojnicu AC, Lagunova Z, Dahlback A, Juzeniene A, et al. (2009) Sun and sun beds: inducers of vitamin D and skin cancer. Anticancer research 29(9): 3495-3500.
  10. Moan J, Dahlback A, Porojnicu AC (2008) At what time should one go out in the sun? Adv Exp Med Biol 624: 86-88.
  11. Hathcock JN, Shao A, Vieth R, Heaney R (2007) Risk assessment for vitamin D. The American journal of clinical nutrition 85(1): 6-18.
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@article{tanveer2019,
  title   = {Therapeutic Toxicity of Sunshine Vitamin with Zeitgeber Times},
  author  = {Tanveer AK},
  journal = {Annals of Advanced Biomedical Sciences},
  year    = {2019},
  volume  = {2},
  number  = {2},
  doi     = {10.23880/aabsc-16000141}
}
Tanveer AK (2019). Therapeutic Toxicity of Sunshine Vitamin with Zeitgeber Times. Annals of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.23880/aabsc-16000141
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Therapeutic Toxicity of Sunshine Vitamin with Zeitgeber Times
AU  - Tanveer AK
JO  - Annals of Advanced Biomedical Sciences
PY  - 2019
VL  - 2
IS  - 2
DO  - 10.23880/aabsc-16000141
ER  -