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People with fair skin may need to take vitamin D supplements

Category: Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment

Fair-skinned individuals may benefit from vitamin D testing, as new research suggests that their skin will burn in the sun before it is able to produce high enough levels of the vital nutrient.

For the study, researchers from the University of Leeds assessed vitamin D levels in 1,200 individuals. The results showed those with the lightest skin tended to have some of the lowest vitamin D levels.

Because vitamin D produced in the skin following exposure to sunlight is the primary source of the nutrient for most people, the researchers said that fair-skinned individuals may need to find other ways to get the vitamin.

"Fair-skinned individuals who burn easily are not able to make enough vitamin D from sunlight and so may need to take vitamin D supplements," said lead researcher Julia Newton-Bishop. "This should be considered for fair-skinned people living in a mild climate."

Vitamin D is known to play an important role in supporting healthy immune and musculoskeletal function. Furthermore, recent research has also connected higher levels of the nutrient a lower cancer risk.