2023-12-05 10:49:18
In the dark season, some people go to the solarium more often to lift their mood and replenish their vitamin D stores. Does that bring anything?
And here we are once more in the middle of the dark season, which clouds the mood and drags us down. Even the shine of the many Christmas fairy lights cannot always make up for the lack of sunlight. Some people go to the solarium more often in autumn and winter to brighten their mood and get their fill of vitamin D – which is normally produced by sunlight. The operators of the sunbeds also advertise with both arguments. But can that really help?
Uwe Schwichtenberg from the Professional Association of German Dermatologists says clearly: “The price is too high.” Theoretically, the solarium can actually supply the body with vitamin D, but at the same time the risk of skin cancer is too great. “I can’t recommend going to the solarium, it doesn’t make sense for your health,” says Schwichtenberg.
Can a visit to the solarium fill your vitamin D stores?
Andreas Hahn, head of the Institute for Food Science and Human Nutrition at Leibniz University Hannover, also believes that the solarium is not a suitable method for surviving the winter with enough vitamin D. The body can produce vitamin D itself with the help of sunlight. “However, vitamin D synthesis is only possible in the summer months, around April to the end of September. In winter, the incidence of sunlight is too shallow and is therefore not sufficient,” says Hahn. On very sunny days in summer, it is enough to expose your face and arms to the sun for around 15 minutes. Assuming you haven’t applied sunscreen. Going to the solarium in winter is not an alternative. The body needs UV-B radiation to produce vitamin D. “It is precisely this radiation that is normally filtered out in the solarium because it is the one that causes the most damage to the skin. So it is simply of no use,” says Hahn. The use of solariums also promotes skin aging.
Instead, there are two ways to get through the winter with enough vitamin D. On the one hand, you can absorb it through certain foods. Herring and salmon, for example, are particularly rich in vitamin D. “However, an average diet usually does not cover your vitamin D requirements,” explains Hahn. On average, a person needs around 20 micrograms of vitamin D per day. You usually consume two to three micrograms through your diet. “If you don’t take extra vitamin D in winter, for example as a dietary supplement, you’re not meeting your needs,” says Hahn. He recommends taking 800 to 1000 international units per day. “Higher doses are not necessary,” he says. An exception are people who have a particularly high need for vitamin D due to illnesses.
A visit to the solarium can damage the skin, say experts.
Photo: Felix Kästle, dpa (symbol image)
Dermatologist Uwe Schwichtenberg also recommends taking vitamin D in tablet form if you are deficient. “It’s easier and cheaper than the solarium,” he says. If you want to brighten your mood, you can also set up a daylight lamp. These are widespread in the dark regions of Scandinavia to simulate the daily rhythm. These special lamps do not emit harmful UV radiation.
Read regarding this too
As nutrition professor Andreas Hahn explains, vitamin D is involved in a number of bodily functions. A long-term vitamin D deficiency can have a negative impact on bones. “The body always tries to maintain the calcium level in the blood. And without vitamin D, the calcium from food cannot be used. The organism then gets the calcium from somewhere else – namely from the bones,” explains Hahn. This might affect bone density and increase the risk of osteoporosis.
1701773752
#solarium #alternative #sun
