Sunlight Isn't Enough to Treat Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is a crucial nutrient that maintains bone health, but some women are deficient.

When thinking about vitamin D, some may think simply about going outside in the sunlight, but that’s not always enough to fix a deficiency.

While sitting out in the sun can help, it’s not a total fix. According to Jaelyn Heyliger, PA-C, a certified physician assistant with Mercy Personal Physicians Downtown in Baltimore, sunlight exposure comes with a risk for skin cancer and that people with darker skin tones don’t actually absorb vitamin D as well.

Vitamin D is especially important because bone health is a much bigger problem in women, who are four times more likely to develop osteoporosis than men.

Menopause can cause women to have a lower bone mineral density, so women may need to get their numbers in check with a doctor’s guidance.

“It all depends on where you’re at. If you truly are vitamin D deficient based on your levels, sometimes you’re taking 50,000 units weekly. [If] you’re a little vitamin D deficient but you work outside… we would have you take [fewer] unit[s],” Heyliger said.

While vitamin D deficiency is hard to diagnose, testing can confirm it. Some people experience symptoms like fatigue, muscle aches or weakness, and even bone pain.

A healthy amount of vitamin D to take daily would typically be found in a multivitamin. If you take just vitamin D, check with your doctor to ensure it’s a dose that is most beneficial for you.

View Jaelyn Heyliger, PA-C’s interview regarding women and Vitamin D deficiency.