Tanning Beds To Increase Vit D?

[meme2kids]

Does anyone use or been told to use indoor tanning to help increase Vit D?

[cassP]

Does anyone use or been told to use indoor tanning to help increase Vit D?

OMG- i JUST googled this today- because i recently found out im Vit D deficient... and when i went for a run today there was no sun.

plus i still have a membership at the tanning bed (for vanity reasons)

anyways- from what ive read- the type of UV rays from the sun that DO help the body make vit D are almost nonexsistent at the tanning beds. the tanning beds use different UV rays. at least thats how i understand it.

so... i ordered a premium D3 supplement this week, and will try to get more sun... im a little surprised that i was so low- as i do eat a ton of eggs and fish.

[SaraKat]

I used to be a tanning bed person in my teens and 20's and I had a skin cancer removed last year on my shoulder. I would not advise tanning bed use at all. I would try the supplement as the other poster mentioned.

[ravenwoodglass]

Please go with the supplements instead. Much safer than tanning and won't have your skin looking like leather by the time your 45.

[shopgirl]

I agree with the others. There's nothing about a tanning bed that isn't a bad idea.

[Emilushka]

Tanning beds increase the risk of skin cancer up to 10 times or more (depending on how often they are used). The problems they can cause you down the line with deadly cancer, skin problems, and so on greatly outweigh any minor possible vitamin D benefits. We have gluten-free vitamin D supplements. If you have kidney problems and require fully activated vitamin D because your body is unable to process the supplements, we have fully activated vitamin D available by prescription. There are safe ways to get the vitamin - don't risk a deadly cancer!

[Ada-B]

I have really severe vitamin D deficiency problems and osteomalacia (adult rickets), I cannot absorb vitamin D supplements (even the 'activated' vitamin D ones on prescription) and still I wouldn't risk a tanning bed! I have to have intra-muscular injections every 3 months but at least I know they won't give me deadly skin cancer.

Oh, and my doctor recommends that everyone should go outside and expose head and hands for at least 20 minutes a day, in moderate climates, a few minutes a day in hotter climates and only in the far North should you need to take any supplements at all, and then only in Winter. Oily fish contains natural vitamin D if you'd prefer to go that route.

[-AprilSun]

Hello,

I came across this website through a google alert for vitamin D.

In regards to your doctor advising you to use a sunbed this recommendation is becoming more common because unfortunately not all vitamin D is created equal. Supplements or vitamin D that is ingested does not bind to cells as effectively as vitamin D gained through UV exposure. There have been numerous studies that have shown that UV exposure is an independent risk factor in the prevention of things such as cancer and bone disease. One very important piece of research was published in January 2011 that demonstrated that as women got more UV exposure, their risk of developing breast cancer was significantly reduced. This study followed 67,000 French women over a 20 year period, link here:

Joint Effects of Dietary Vitamin D and Sun Exposure on Breast Cancer Risk: Results from the French E3N Cohort — Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Open Original Shared Link

The body has over 200 genes with vitamin D receptors and while it is called a vitamin it is actually a hormone. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of multiple sclerosis. Scotland is a country with the highest rates of MS in the world. If you live in this region and if your surname begins with Mc or Mac then you have a 40% higher risk of developing MS over your lifetime. A landmark study began in January 2011 to examine the relationship between UV exposure and MS 2000 residents from the Orkney Islands, which has the highest levels of multiple sclerosis in the world. The link between UV exposure and MS has been known for around 25 years and this has been confirmed again this week when the results of an Australian study were published, link here:

Sun exposure and vitamin D linked to MS risk | Reuters Open Original Shared Link

I could write an essay but I will stop at that for now. There is plenty of research to support moderate and controlled UV exposure in order to maintain good health. So don't throw the baby out with the bath water because the ailments that you could end up suffering from as a result of complete sun avoidance can far outweigh the perceived risk of skin cancer.

Anyway, the point that I came in here to make originally relates to the use of sunbeds. IF you are going to use a sunbed but if you do want to do it in as responsible a manner as possible then just follow a few simple rules:

- Start out on the smallest time possible, even if it is only 3 minutes.

- Build your time up slowly, so increase the length of time you spend in the tanning bed one minute at a time.

- Do not go more often than once every two days.

- If you are still red more than 24 hours later then you need to reduce your tanning time, you want to avoid burning your skin.

So you need to get your skin used to the UV exposure gradually, that's why you start out small and increase your time slowly. You also want to give your skin enough time to replenish between sessions so you don't end up looking like a leather handbag that's why you shouldn't go more often that once every two days. The most important thing is to avoid sunburn, which is associated with increased risk of developing skin cancer. So if you are still red more than 24 hours later then you need to reduce your time.

If you do decide to use a tanning bed then what you may find is that you will start out on 3 minutes and do that 3 times per week for one month. After that your skin might be used to the UV exposure and so you will increase your time to 4 minutes for another 2 weeks. From there you might quickly graduate up to 6 minutes where you will stay for another month or two. Then you might decide to increase your time to 8 minutes or you might feel that 6 minutes is perfectly adequate for your needs.

Kind regards,

@AprilSun

*edit: removed the bit link shortener for the link to the E3N French cohort study and replaced with the full URL

[Igg postive]

The doctor can give your capsules of high dose vitimin D. He can monitor your level to make sure you are getting the right dosage.