Vitamin D: this is how dangerous a vitamin D deficiency is
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Sooo far away and yet always there: without our sun, there would be no life. The star, 150 million kilometers away, gives us warmth, light and joie de vivre. But the sun has fallen into disrepute: UV rays can cause cancer and wrinkles... Unfortunately, this is true. And yet: too little sunshine is just as harmful as too much. Swedish researchers have found that not getting enough sun is about as dangerous as smoking or being overweight.
Vitamin D for the bones
The body can only produce vitamin D when the sun shines on bare skin. Vitamin D is vital because it is involved in almost all metabolic processes and bone formation and protects against diseases. If children have too little vitamin D, they can develop rickets.
Vitamin D against cancer
The sun even protects against skin cancer. This is because when the body becomes accustomed to small doses of UV radiation, calluses form: The cornea becomes thicker and the body's own sun protection is created. This prevents the formation of free radicals in the skin and thus protects against cancer.
Ten minutes
Of course, this is not a free pass. Too much UV has been proven to cause cancer and age the skin. Researchers recommend spending ten minutes in the sun every day.
