Should you sunbathe during midday to get your Vitamin D or supplement with one of the countless options available on the market?
This is one of the most common questions in relation to sunlight and Vitamin D3.
I believe sunbathing remains the superior alternative from the perspective of Vitamin D distribution in the body. You have to consider that our biology evolved to receive the full light spectrum from the sun. We did not evolve to take Vitamin D3 supplements, which is a reductionist approach to solving the nasty problem of indoor living and sun-avoidance.
My position will be supported by the fantastic work of Dr. Alexandre Wunsch who has studied this subject and many other ones around light.
The slide above gives you an idea of the differences between oral application of Vitamin D versus the Vitamin D we produce from midday sunbathing through sulfated cholesterol.
Now, here’s where it gets juicy.
Vitamin D supplementation is distributed by non-specific transport proteins (lipoproteins). They don’t bind to Vitamin D specifically, hence cannot transport it to target sites in the same way as the specific binding protein via sunbathing.
The lipoprotein transport route is like unaddressed mail.
It doesn’t get where it needs to be in the body.
The D-Binding transport route is like registered mail.
It gets exactly where it needs to be.
It gets even more complicated though because there are many other factors involved such as different forms of Vitamin D, different genetic variants of the D-binding protein in the population, so forth.
It’s certainly not as simple as popping a pill.
Here’s what you should know:
The D-Binding Protein holds the Vitamin D molecule much more tightly than the lipoprotein. In other words, sunbathing is superior to supplementation. You can’t hack your way around the complexity of human biology and nature.
In context to D3 deficiency, more people than not are going to be deficient because of the societal propaganda campaign around sun-avoidance and the use of sunscreen, sunglasses, etc. when they are outside.
You must build up your Vitamin D3 stores during spring and summer so that you can follow the cyclical nature of associated with the seasons once winter comes around.
You’ll have plenty of D3 to go through if you approach light correctly.
Not many people know that melatonin is tied to the Vitamin D receptor, which means darkness is also a method to liberate D3 into your system. Here’s a good question asked below for some context.
There are a number of reasons as to why you should avoid supplementing with something that your body produces naturally with the right lifestyle.
It’s more than safe to say that centralized medicine doesn’t appreciate the complexity of the human body at the quantum level. This is clear in their approach to health and messaging associated with sunlight + no mention of circadian biology.
You’re a fool if you believe a supplement grants the same benefits that full spectrum sunlight offers. Plain and simple.
Much love,
Zaid
This is the first that I’ve read that darkness and melatonin can maximize stores of vitamin D so one needn’t supplement in the winter.
Do you have any references for that observation ?
Fantastic research and insight Zaid. I get my D blood levels done with my blood panel work each year for my physical. And supplement as well as working on my solar callus regularly. All looking good here. Thanks for the great data.