Are people with darker skin tones more susceptible to vitamin D deficiency?
“Our skin colour can affect vitamin D production,” says Dr Shireen Furtado, senior consultant at Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, India. “Skin colour is determined by a substance called melanin, which protects the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight. However, melanin also reduces the skin’s ability to absorb UV rays needed to produce vitamin D.”
For people with darker skin, high levels of melanin help protect the skin from UV rays, but this also makes it harder for the body to produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. So they may need to stay outdoors longer for their bodies to produce enough vitamin D. Conversely, people with lighter skin have less melanin, which makes it easier for the skin to absorb UV rays and produce vitamin D quickly, even without prolonged exposure to sunlight.
Other factors that come into play
Skin color isn't the only factor that affects the body's ability to synthesize vitamin D. Dr. Shireen Furtado explained that genetics and geographic location also play a role in the body's ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight.
Genetics: Your genes can influence your body's ability to produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Some genes help your body make more vitamin D, while others reduce it. So even with sunlight, your ability to make vitamin D varies depending on your genetics.
Geographic location: Areas near or far from the equator will have large differences in the amount of sunlight, especially in winter. In areas further from the equator, sunlight is weaker and winters are longer, making it harder for the body to make enough vitamin D. As a result, people living in these areas will have difficulty maintaining adequate vitamin D levels, especially in winter.
Therefore, genetics and environment combined with skin color form a complex factor influencing the ability to synthesize vitamin D. When assessing vitamin D levels and risk of deficiency, all of these factors need to be considered to get a comprehensive view.
How to ensure adequate vitamin D levels in the body?
No matter what your skin tone, maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is important, stresses Dr. Shireen Furtado. Here are some tips to help you ensure this:
Add foods rich in vitamin D: Add foods rich in vitamin D to your child's diet such as fatty fish, dairy products and egg yolks.
Take vitamin D supplements: Especially in the winter, when there is less natural sunlight, you may consider taking vitamin D supplements. Additionally, regularly checking your vitamin D levels through blood tests will help you know if your body has enough vitamin D.
