At times when sun exposure is limited, such as in winter months, it's important to top up levels of vitamin D through your diet and supplements to still gain its health benefits. But applying vitamin D topically to the skin is also effective in maintaining good skin health and improving some skin conditions.
You can also use topical vitamin D oils that are applied directly to the skin, especially on flare areas. Topical oils may be more effective in treating flares that already exist. While topical treatments are soothing, they typically aren't effective in preventing recurrence.
Vitamin D helps repair skin damage and prevent infections as a result of skin injuries. Topical application can relieve symptoms of psoriasis including itchy and flaky skin. Additionally, Vitamin D has strong anti-inflammatory properties which are useful in treating burns, skin damage, and even stretch marks.
Conclusions: This randomized control study shows that vitamin D3 can safely be delivered through the dermal route. This route could be exploited in treating vitamin D deficiency.
Spending even a short time in the sun can provide the body with all of the vitamin D it needs for the day. According to the Vitamin D Council, this could be: 15 minutes for a person with light skin. a couple of hours for a person with dark skin.
Note: Topical Vitamin D may also be BETTER than most oral forms if you: Have Gut problems. Dislike swallowing pills. Have a low/poor blood level response to vitamin D supplementation- e.g., poor CYP27A1 gene (in your liver)
At times when sun exposure is limited, such as in winter months, it's important to top up levels of vitamin D through your diet and supplements to still gain its health benefits. But applying vitamin D topically to the skin is also effective in maintaining good skin health and improving some skin conditions.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that it does not dissolve in water and is absorbed best in your bloodstream when paired with high fat foods ( 1 ). For this reason, it's recommended to take vitamin D supplements with a meal to enhance absorption.
Vitamins absorbed through a patch may be the perfect solution for anyone who needs an alternative to pills or shots. It allows the user to avoid side-effects from pills, since the vitamins are absorbed through the skin. Patches are even available for children 12 and older.
There are quite a few differences between vitamin D and vitamin D3, but the main difference between them is that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that regulates calcium and phosphorous levels in the body, whereas the vitamin D3 is the natural form of vitamin D produced by the body from sunlight.
"Research has shown that vitamin D is significantly better absorbed (32% better) into the bloodstream when eaten with a source of fat1 , as opposed to with a fat-free meal." That's why experts often recommend you take vitamin D supplements with food.
Research indicates that it helps prevent wrinkles and skin sagging, due to its powerful anti-aging properties.
Some scientists recommend exposing around a third of the area of your skin to the sun ( 5 ). According to this recommendation, wearing a tank top and shorts for 10–30 minutes three times per week during the summer should be sufficient for most people with lighter skin.
Zeichner says topical vitamin D is generally safe to use daily, but like any skincare product, Dhingra says it could cause irritation, depending on how it's created. Herrmann warns that many of these products are oil-based, which could be too heavy in acne-prone skin and cause pore-clogging.
This occurs when your body mistakenly recognizes the vitamin D-3 as a potentially harmful chemical and mounts an immune response against it. Mild allergic reactions can cause rashes, hives and nasal congestion, while more severe reactions can affect your ability to breathe and even prove fatal.
Vitamin D acts to increase the expression of both Klotho and Nrf2, which also act to reduce the ageing process.
Vitamin D is vital for making our muscles work efficiently and boosting energy levels, new research from Newcastle University has shown.
In summer and spring, with 22% of uncovered skin, 1000 IU vitamin D doses are synthesized in 10-15 min of sun exposure for adults.
The effect of equivalent oral doses of vitamin D3 600 IU/day, 4200 IU/week and 18,000 IU/month on vitamin D status was compared in a randomized clinical trial in nursing home residents. A daily dose was more effective than a weekly dose, and a monthly dose was the least effective.
Interactions. Possible interactions include: Aluminum. Taking vitamin D and aluminum-containing phosphate binders, which may be used to treat high serum phosphate levels in people with chronic kidney disease, might cause harmful levels of aluminum in people with kidney failure in the long term.
Coconut oil can enhance absorption of vitamin D. Though the daily tolerable intake level of vitamin D is 2000 IU, the concurrent use of coconut oil may silently elevate it to toxic levels.
“Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol is the most absorbable and potent form, [whereas] Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is typically plant-based and not as effective at raising vitamin D levels in the body and thus is not recommended as often,” she explains.