According to a recent 2017 study, your sunscreen is a likely cause of your vitamin D deficiency. According to the American Osteopathic Association,  “nearly 1 billion people worldwide may have deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D due to chronic disease and inadequate sun exposure related to sunscreen use.” Add this to the often harmful and toxic ingredients in your sunscreen, you may realize your sunscreen is doing just as much harm as good.

The article notes that vitamin D deficiency is currently classified by the Endocrine Society as vitamin D levels falling below 20ng/ml, whereas insufficiency is described as between 21 and 30 ng/ml.

Vitamin D deficiency is now traditionally treated with Vitamin D3 supplements (actually a hormone not a vitamin) which not without risk.

Using sunscreen wisely in accordance with your sun exposure may be key to maintaining adequate vitamin D levels, while preventing the harmful effects of sun overexposure. The American Osteopathic Association reports: “Increasing and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels can be as easy as spending 5-30 minutes in midday sun twice per week. The appropriate time depends on a person’s geographic location and skin pigmentation — lighter skin synthesizes more vitamin D than darker skin. It is important to forgo sunscreen during these sessions because SPF 15 or greater decreases vitamin D3 production by 99 percent.”

References:
American Osteopathic Association. (2017, May 1). Widespread vitamin D deficiency likely due to sunscreen use, increase of chronic diseases, review finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 7, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170501102258.htm