Vitamin D Myths 'D'-bunked

Vitamin D Myths ‘D’-bunked

By Alpro Pharmacy

October 25, 2024

Key Points:

Despite Malaysia’s tropical climate, 67.4% of Malaysians are Vitamin D deficient due to sun-avoidant lifestyles, sunscreen use, and limited outdoor activities.
Skin tone, aging, cloud cover, and pollution impact the body’s ability to synthesize Vitamin D, making supplementation or Vitamin D-rich foods essential for many.
Beyond bone health, Vitamin D3 supports muscle strength, heart health, and immune function, but multivitamins may not provide enough, requiring higher doses for those at risk.

Myth 1: I can get enough Vitamin D through sunlight since Malaysia is a tropical country with sunlight all year.

A study conducted in 2022 found that 67.4% of Malaysians have Vitamin D deficiency (having less than 20 ng/mL of Vitamin D in their blood). Surprising, right? (1)

While Vitamin D is mainly obtained from sunlight, the synthesis of Vitamin D3 in the skin is strongly influenced by the penetration of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. (2)

When was the last time you walked under the sun? Most of us prefer shopping malls because the weather is hot and humid. With Malaysia’s temperatures getting hotter day and night, we are more inclined to adopt sun-avoidant lifestyles, using sunscreen and avoiding outdoor activities. Sunscreen, applied topically, absorbs UVB light, thus reducing the skin’s ability to produce Vitamin D3. (3)

Additionally, clothing that covers most of the skin also prevents exposure to sunlight, which explains why Vitamin D deficiency is widespread even in some of the sunniest parts of the world. (4) Furthermore, individuals confined to their homes or working jobs that limit their sun exposure are unlikely to get enough Vitamin D from sunlight alone. (5)

Myth 2: Going under the sun daily is the best way to get sufficient Vitamin D.

While sunlight exposure is a natural way to help the body produce Vitamin D, it’s not always the most effective or reliable method, especially in certain circumstances. Consider these factors:

Geography and climate: People living in tropical countries like Malaysia might assume they get enough Vitamin D from the sun, but factors like heavy cloud cover, pollution, and staying indoors during peak sunlight hours can limit exposure to UVB rays.
Skin tone: People with darker skin produce less Vitamin D from sunlight than those with lighter skin, as the higher levels of melanin act as a natural sunscreen.
Time of day and sunscreen use: Wearing sunscreen, essential for skin protection, can also block the UVB rays needed for Vitamin D synthesis. Furthermore, peak sunlight hours often don’t align with most people’s daily routines.
Aging: As people age, their skin becomes less efficient at producing Vitamin D.

Typically, someone with efficient skin function would need to expose their skin to sunlight for 15-20 minutes daily over six months to bring Vitamin D3 levels from deficiency back to normal. In light of these factors, many people may require more sunlight exposure. Vitamin D3 supplementation or consuming Vitamin D-rich foods can help maintain optimal levels.

Myth 3: Vitamin D3 is not as crucial as other vitamins.

Vitamin D3 is vital for several key bodily functions, and its importance rivals other vitamins. In addition to the commonly known benefits for bone health, here are some other advantages of maintaining adequate Vitamin D3 levels:

Muscle health: Low Vitamin D3 levels can lead to muscle weakness, fatigue, and an increased risk of falls in older adults. Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to improve muscle strength and reduce the likelihood of falls in the elderly.
Heart health: Vitamin D3 improves health by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and total cholesterol levels. An Atherosclerosis (2012) study found that Vitamin D3 supplementation reduced LDL cholesterol levels in overweight individuals. (6) a study in Circulation (2012) also linked higher Vitamin D3 levels to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. (7)
Enhances the effectiveness of cholesterol-lowering medications: Vitamin D3 enhances the efficacy of cholesterol-lowering medicines, such as statins, by improving lipid profiles. This can help further reduce bad cholesterol and improve heart health outcomes. A study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics (2014) found that individuals with higher Vitamin D3 levels responded better to cholesterol-lowering medications. (6)
Energy and immune support: Low Vitamin D3 levels are linked to fatigue and a weakened immune system. A study in the British Medical Journal (2017) showed that Vitamin D supplementation significantly reduced the risk of respiratory infections, particularly in individuals with low baseline levels of Vitamin D. (8)

Myth 4: I take a multivitamin containing Vitamin D, so I already get all I need.

While Vitamin D3 is included in many multivitamins, this doesn’t guarantee that it’s provided in sufficient amounts to meet the body’s needs. Additionally, it’s far from being the least important vitamin. Vitamin D3 plays a vital role in overall health. Here’s why:

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA): The Institute of Medicine recommends a minimum of 600-800 IU of Vitamin D3 daily for most adults. The maximum safe dosage of Vitamin D3 supplements is 4,000 IU/day.
Optimal Levels for Health Benefits: Research suggests higher doses benefit those with limited sun exposure. Many health experts recommend 1,000-2,000 IU/day for optimal health, particularly bone and muscle strength and immune support.
People at Risk of Deficiency: Individuals at higher risk, such as older adults, people with darker skin tones, or those living sun-avoidant lifestyles, may need even higher doses. In some cases, 4,000 IU/day may be recommended to achieve optimal blood levels, but this should be done under the supervision of healthcare professionals.

Though Vitamin D3 is standard in multivitamins, these products typically contain only 200-400 IU, which may not be enough to maintain adequate levels—especially for individuals with higher needs or those with little sun exposure. Dedicated Vitamin D3 supplementation or increasing Vitamin D-rich foods may be necessary to meet the body’s needs.

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Citations

Babu US, Calvo MS. Modern challenges to human nutrition: Insights from Malaysia and other emerging economies. Nutrients. 2022;14(2):285. doi:10.3390/nu14020285
Holick MF. Deficiency of sunlight and vitamin D. BMJ. 2008;336:1318. doi:10.1136/bmj.39581.411424.80
Matsuoka LY, Ide L, Wortsman J, MacLaughlin JA, Holick MF. Sunscreens suppress cutaneous vitamin D3 synthesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1987;64(6):1165-1168. doi:10.1210/jcem-64-6-1165
Shafinaz IS, Moy FM. Vitamin D level and its association with adiposity among multi-ethnic adults in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: A cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health. 2016;16:232. doi:10.1186/s12889-016-2924-1
Nair R, Maseeh A. Vitamin D: The “sunshine” vitamin. J Pharmacol Pharmacother. 2012;3(2):118-126. doi:10.4103/0976-500X.95506
Ponda MP, Dowd K, Finkielstein D, Holt PR, Breslow JL. The relationship between vitamin D and cholesterol in a large sample of 51,723 individuals. Atherosclerosis. 2012;225(1):238-243. doi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.08.024
Wang TJ, Pencina MJ, Booth SL, Jacques PF, Ingelsson E, Lanier K, et al. Vitamin D deficiency and risk of cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2012;117(4):503-511. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.706127
Martineau AR, Jolliffe DA, Greenberg L, Aloia JF, Bergman P, Griffiths CJ. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: Individual participant data meta-analysis. BMJ. 2017;356
. doi:10.1136/bmj.i6583