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Vitamin D for fracture prevention
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Casual sun exposure, or UVB radiation, is the body’s main source of vitamin D, providing about 2,000 international units (IU) per day during the summer. However, the sunscreen that many Canadians apply to prevent skin cancer blocks the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin. As a result, those using sunscreen or avoiding the sun may not be getting enough vitamin D, which reduces the risk of bone fractures and other chronic conditions.
“The challenge especially during the months of April through September, is to balance the risk of skin cancer from unprotected sun exposure with the benefits of getting enough vitamin D,” says Dr. Reinhold Vieth, the director of the Bone and Mineral Laboratory
at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital. “The research has consistently shown that adequate doses of vitamin D and calcium prevent fractures associated with osteoporosis. Taking a calcium supplement with 800 IU of vitamin D is a safe and effective way to help prevent osteoporosis.”
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