The "Get more sun" vs. D3 supplementation controversy

[Deborah]

I'm pretty new here and have been reading over a lot of older posts. I don't think anyone has brought this up in a while, but I have read a LOT of posts from people (mostly pre-surgery) who think that if they get Vit D deficiencies they might be able to remedy that by getting more sunshine. Often, they will say that they have a friend who was able to increase their levels by getting sunshine each day or tanning or whatever - and I'm sure that is true. Generally someone who has been around a while and has been studying post-DS nutrition will try to respond and debunk that theory (very nicely, I might ad!). I saw somewhere that Vitalady (whose opinion I really respect) mentioned that the increases in D level from sun exposure are pretty transient and generally only good for a few extra points on the labs, which isn't a great deal of help. I can tell you from my own experience in 14+ years post-DS surgery that it hasn't done squat for me and I have always wondered why.

I have a theory that I wanted to throw out there and see what others thought... My understanding of how the body manufactures Vit D from UVB is that it actually converts cholesterol into D. Well, we malabsorb 80% of our dietary fat (including cholesterol) so we aren't going to have a bunch in there just waiting to be converted. In addition, after about a year post-surgery, a lot of us notice that our cholesterol levels significantly decrease and stay low thereafter. If we have low internal stores and low dietary levels, I think the UVB has nothing really to work with and just goes on its merry way. What do you think?

 

[swimbikerun]

Sounds like a well reasoned item to me.

 

[DianaCox]

I don't think so - the way the feedback mechanism works most of the time is, there is a setpoint that the body decides must be maintained. If a few molecules of cholesterol are converted to vitamin D, the absence of the cholesterol molecules will be noticed, they will be replaced and the setpoint will be maintained.

 

[Deborah]

Figures it wasn't something that simple - oh well. Good thing I'm not a biochemist! Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Munchkin]

There can be no doubt we were meant to manufacture D naturally from sun exposure. There are no natural high D foods. One of the best is mushrooms but even that is low. Most of what normies get is artificially added(supplemented) into other foods we eat.

Most of the 'normies' out there are never tested for D levels but I have read it is common for 'normies' to be low especially in northern locations with colder weather and less sun exposure.

I have found some great articles and studies on D over the years in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

 

[Deborah]

You are right about that! I am sure that my Vit D level would be a problem with or without the DS and that I had issues before surgery. Back then (2000) people didn't talk about it too much, though, so I'm not sure that it was ever checked. I know now it would be a pre-op requirement. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Sheanie]

I boosted my D with tanning. It can be done. I no longer tan, but my D stays near 100 on 50k every 3 days now.

 

[Deborah]

You lucky dog!! That's awesome, and I know it does work for some. I wish I knew why it does for some and not for others, but I guess it's just another one of life's little mysteries! It's good to let others know, though, that having the DS does not automatically mean sun exposure won't help at all. Thanks for sharing!

 

[more2adore]

I actually am kind of glad this generation is getting less and less into tanning and more into sunscreen. A dear friend of mine (my age - mid-thirties) just had her fifth pre-cancerous mole removed. She tanned a lot in her teens and twenties. She's otherwise very young and healthy. If you can get D through supplements instead of putting yourself at risk for skin cancer, seems like a better deal to me. Just my opinion.