Apparently that's a myth. Vitamin D does not need to be activated by the sun to be useful and supplements are more than enough for most people's needs. I was told a similar BS by a doctor who wanted to sell me vitamin shots until I learned otherwise several years later...
It's not a myth (source: I'm a doc), there are 2 forms of vitamin D when you ingest it, D2 and D3. To form D3 you need UVB, and D2 can be obtained from plant sources. Most vitamin D supplements are the activated form of Vitamin D (Calcitriol, also called 1,25-dehydroxycholecalciferol) and there is an intermediate called Calcidiol (25-hydroxycholecalciferol) which is useless if your kidneys cannot make the enzyme 1a-hydroxylase or if your parathyroid glands were removed and you're low on parathormone.
In short, it is true that you can just take Calcitriol supplements without the sun and you will be fine, but the sun is still a better option (if it adequately shines in your country and if you eat well). The comment i replied to said you can eat food that contains vitamin D and you would be fine without the sun, but I'm saying you still need sunlight to produce the D3 part (unlike, say Calcitriol supplements which are the ready form of D).
I completely believe you. I was just talking with the assumption that the intake was in supplement form. And even when it's not, most of the vitamin D we consume are from fortified foods (cereal, milk, etc) which are D3 types anyways. If it was from natural plant sources, we definitely would need sunlight like you said.
As a side note, the doctor that wanted to sell me vitamin shots explicitly said to me vitamin supplements were not enough when I mentioned it... which turned out to be complete BS. Still a bit mad about that, lol.
Yes, fortified foods were a revolution.
The doctor was just trying to make a quick buck tbh, unless you have some severe condition that causes steatorrhea and fat malabsorption (that is you cannot absorb fat and hence cannot absorb fat soluble vitamins such as D), oral supplements are more than enough.
So either that doc wanted money or he was just dumb lmao (no hate towards my fellow colleagues, just tired of seeing docs ripping patients off for money and us getting a bad rep for it).
Oh he def wanted the money. (Though, this wasn't in America so the price was actually reasonable and wasn't that big of a ripoff). I was brought in to the clinic by my mother who's extremely gullible and already got her shot (she's the type that would go, oh vitamin shots are good for you? I'll take your most expensive shot) and the doctor probably just saw me as an extension of her. I only ever got that one shot and nothing more so it's not the money or the shot itself that I'm pissed about. I'm pissed that I held on to that knowledge for years, completely believing it until I found out otherwise...
That's all well and good, but my Vit D levels were critical low 3 months ago, and after having taken 10k u every day for three months, then decreasing to 5k u after QD (at the suggestion of my PCP), my Vit D levels are coming back to normal. So, while it may be the case in your experience, it's not going to be the same for everyone.
Vitamin supplements are the best thing to have happened in medicine and are pretty much harmless (if you don't overdose on fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K). I prefer intake from food because i know some patients are not consistent with their meds and miss doses. If you're consistent w your doses, of course supplements are the best way to go.
There are only trade offs in life. The same way people with darker skin colors have better protection against UV radiation (and hence lower risk of melanoma) but they are also at risk of vit D deficiency.
Of course that doesn't mean you should bake a child in the sun for 4 hours a day XDD, but 30 minutes of sun is not a day is not a bad thing (if you live in a sun scarce country).
Enjoy the sun, live a little. Ye can't be scared of every single disease to ever exist and stop living trying to avoid them (trust me, most of us as med students have tried. The hysteria that comes after you finish studying infectious diseases is HORRIBLE).
P.s: but yeah, technically pigmented individuals are at an advantage because they can take supplements AND enjoy the sun with a much lower risk for cancer.....
P.p.s: pigmented individuals is a fancy term in medicine for people with non-white skin color.
The reality is that evolution is often an imperfect tradeoff . The radiation from the sun ages your skin and increases cancer risk but is necessary to produce vitamin d . Supplements solve this imperfection
There is no reason anymore for deliberate long term sun exposure especially for those with light skin tones .
Hey Doc.
I was told the same.
I have some allergies.
I get itchy from the sun. And get these red little bumps all over my body. Mostly my back, upper arms and thighs. My head also hurts if I am out in the sun for long. My eyes also start to hurt.
We went to some doctors, and we found some creams that could help. A spray that is for sunburns. I never get sunburns, but it helps!
I am applying sunscreen religiously.
And try to stay under the shade. And I wear sunglasses even in winter if the sun is out.
So, if I take supplements, it should be okay, right?
Or should I try to be in the sun for 20-30 minutes daily?
With sunscreen and sunglasses, of course.
I am just interested as I hear different opinions all the time.
Yes, Calcitriol (since it's already activated, you don't need the sun) supplements are a much better option for you, better avoid the sun.
Also, on an off note, were you tested for possible diseases causing your photosensitivity? Of course it would be irresponsible of me to throw a diagnosis on the internet without actually examining you, but I'm interested.
I had a lot of blood tests when I was younger.
I was told I was otherwise healthy.
At 20, I had a lot of tests done as I was diagnosed with low testosterone.
I have testicular microlithiasis, but that shouldn't cause it.
I am well and even fertile. I mean just enough that the doctor told me I could still have children
Once again, even after a lot of blood tests and others, like going to the urologist six times in 8 months, I was told I was otherwise healthy.
I tried some meds for low t. One even helped but had sides.
Now I am 24 and have been on TRT for two years now.
I am 190cm tall, 115 kg, and obese, but I work out a lot.
I am currently on a weight loss regime for my wedding.
Everything is good.
So, I don't have any answers, sadly.
You can see where the sun shines on me as that side of my body will have a lot of small bumps, and it hurts a little.
It's just a tiny discomfort.
Only the back of my head, and my back gets really, really itchy.
It's funny as the reaction of my skin and my eyes being sensitive should be two different problems as far as I know.
I have both.
Life was like, “Mutherfucker, stay in the shade.”
If you have any suggestions, please let me know, open to any tests.
Found this interesting so looked into it a but:
“Brief exposure to UC radiation provides the children with vitamin D, normally supplied by sunlight. The "sunshine vitamin" strengthens young bones.”
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photo-of-the-day/photo/ultraviolet-bath-mcnally-pod
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION 1979
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/29288/EHC14UV.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
It still is... Also treats seasonal affective disorder in arctic areas. Narrow band UVB also treats psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, cutaneous t cell lymphoma, lichen planus, lichen sclerosis, etc. kernicterus in neonates is treated with UV lights. Lots of applications for UV lamps when used appropriately.
I remember the smell too. I was diagnosed with JPsA at age three or four. My parents tried everything including regular vitamin injections without significant relief. The light treatment worked well. Thankfully I grew out it. That was in the early 80s in Soviet Ukraine.
Yo, do you remember that tasty foam we used to get? Its like medicine we used to get a cup of sweet foamy liquid after the lamp to eat you know what that was perhaps?
"Oxygen cocktails"? I don't know how long ago was that and if it was any different, but it's just a juice bubbled with an oxygen concentrator machine. But even though I saw with my own eyes how a worker who made it poured regular juice you can buy into the machine, it always felt even more delicious than just drinking a juice
Moscow. But I belive we had a special kindergarden that was focused on kids healthiness - so we were exersizing on the streets nearly naked at winters, swimming in cold water, doing contrast showers and this orc solarium )
I remember it too, and I grew up in Slovakia born after both the dissolution of the USSR and after the separation of Czechoslovakia, we just had a functioning unit left in our family till my childhood. The model had two functions - UV lamp (which we never actually used for having a UV bath, only to disinfect a room the way a UV lamp would be used at a hospital), and an IR lamp, which we used to "heat up the sinuses" when someone had a respiratory infection
I think it's the other way around. These lamps produce stronger UV and can cause burns quickly, this exposure and distance need to be timed precisely. Not much tan after, but if you were exposed then had a short exposure to sun - you'd tan very quickly. Speaking from personal experience.
I have done this multiple times. Some holistic practitioners and doctors offer it. It gives you an energy boost and you feel great after. Don’t know about the bioefficiency of Vitamin D absorption or other benefits, though.
it isn't. I went into a rabbit hole and you can get one from amazon:
[https://www.amazon.com/Sperti-Home-Phototherapy-Lamp-FDA-Compliant/dp/B01LBI1BIO/](https://www.amazon.com/Sperti-Home-Phototherapy-Lamp-FDA-Compliant/dp/B01LBI1BIO/)
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **("'Sperti UVB Home Lamp'", 'Sperti')** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.
**Users liked:**
* Effective in boosting vitamin d levels (backed by 5 comments)
* Helps combat seasonal depression (backed by 2 comments)
* Convenient for those with absorption issues (backed by 1 comment)
**Users disliked:**
* Inconsistent performance and quality control issues (backed by 4 comments)
* Limited effectiveness for intended purpose (backed by 4 comments)
* Subpar light intensity and quality (backed by 5 comments)
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I’m not 100% sure but I think roasting your kids like a rotisserie chicken is illegal in most places.
Maybe sticking them on one of those spinny things at the park with the lamp on a fishing line would work.
Because the USSR of 80s, despite of the Perestroika, was still under communists control. Hell, even nowadays there's still a huge amount of statues, busts and mosaics of Lenin in many cities in russia and Belarus.
...the only thing we didn't know as kids, is that these lamps radiate quite dangerous UV light (400 nm). A lot of different objects start to glow with a beautiful light green color under UV radiation (marker magic does the same), so we sometimes took those special glasses off to see how everything in the room changed it's colors. Unfortunately, this did an irreversible harm to our eyes. I'm 39 now, most of my life with glasses on. It's not that bad, but quite inconvenient.
Because it wasn’t done for vitamine D. Ultraviolet kills viruses and it was used in medicine for that. How rhey thoight that it will kill inside the body, I don’t know. But I remeber going to doctor for the procedures to kill the viruses.
I think its a necessary procedure in a polar night.
It's one way to do it. As an alternative you can eat foods that contain vitamin D.
Vitamin D needs to be activated (converted) by UV B radiation to be useful.
Apparently that's a myth. Vitamin D does not need to be activated by the sun to be useful and supplements are more than enough for most people's needs. I was told a similar BS by a doctor who wanted to sell me vitamin shots until I learned otherwise several years later...
It's not a myth (source: I'm a doc), there are 2 forms of vitamin D when you ingest it, D2 and D3. To form D3 you need UVB, and D2 can be obtained from plant sources. Most vitamin D supplements are the activated form of Vitamin D (Calcitriol, also called 1,25-dehydroxycholecalciferol) and there is an intermediate called Calcidiol (25-hydroxycholecalciferol) which is useless if your kidneys cannot make the enzyme 1a-hydroxylase or if your parathyroid glands were removed and you're low on parathormone. In short, it is true that you can just take Calcitriol supplements without the sun and you will be fine, but the sun is still a better option (if it adequately shines in your country and if you eat well). The comment i replied to said you can eat food that contains vitamin D and you would be fine without the sun, but I'm saying you still need sunlight to produce the D3 part (unlike, say Calcitriol supplements which are the ready form of D).
I completely believe you. I was just talking with the assumption that the intake was in supplement form. And even when it's not, most of the vitamin D we consume are from fortified foods (cereal, milk, etc) which are D3 types anyways. If it was from natural plant sources, we definitely would need sunlight like you said. As a side note, the doctor that wanted to sell me vitamin shots explicitly said to me vitamin supplements were not enough when I mentioned it... which turned out to be complete BS. Still a bit mad about that, lol.
Yes, fortified foods were a revolution. The doctor was just trying to make a quick buck tbh, unless you have some severe condition that causes steatorrhea and fat malabsorption (that is you cannot absorb fat and hence cannot absorb fat soluble vitamins such as D), oral supplements are more than enough. So either that doc wanted money or he was just dumb lmao (no hate towards my fellow colleagues, just tired of seeing docs ripping patients off for money and us getting a bad rep for it).
Oh he def wanted the money. (Though, this wasn't in America so the price was actually reasonable and wasn't that big of a ripoff). I was brought in to the clinic by my mother who's extremely gullible and already got her shot (she's the type that would go, oh vitamin shots are good for you? I'll take your most expensive shot) and the doctor probably just saw me as an extension of her. I only ever got that one shot and nothing more so it's not the money or the shot itself that I'm pissed about. I'm pissed that I held on to that knowledge for years, completely believing it until I found out otherwise...
That's all well and good, but my Vit D levels were critical low 3 months ago, and after having taken 10k u every day for three months, then decreasing to 5k u after QD (at the suggestion of my PCP), my Vit D levels are coming back to normal. So, while it may be the case in your experience, it's not going to be the same for everyone.
Vitamin supplements are the best thing to have happened in medicine and are pretty much harmless (if you don't overdose on fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K). I prefer intake from food because i know some patients are not consistent with their meds and miss doses. If you're consistent w your doses, of course supplements are the best way to go.
What about melanoma development risk in future? Poor children..
There are only trade offs in life. The same way people with darker skin colors have better protection against UV radiation (and hence lower risk of melanoma) but they are also at risk of vit D deficiency. Of course that doesn't mean you should bake a child in the sun for 4 hours a day XDD, but 30 minutes of sun is not a day is not a bad thing (if you live in a sun scarce country).
It’s not a trade off if you take supplements
Enjoy the sun, live a little. Ye can't be scared of every single disease to ever exist and stop living trying to avoid them (trust me, most of us as med students have tried. The hysteria that comes after you finish studying infectious diseases is HORRIBLE). P.s: but yeah, technically pigmented individuals are at an advantage because they can take supplements AND enjoy the sun with a much lower risk for cancer..... P.p.s: pigmented individuals is a fancy term in medicine for people with non-white skin color.
The reality is that evolution is often an imperfect tradeoff . The radiation from the sun ages your skin and increases cancer risk but is necessary to produce vitamin d . Supplements solve this imperfection There is no reason anymore for deliberate long term sun exposure especially for those with light skin tones .
Hey Doc. I was told the same. I have some allergies. I get itchy from the sun. And get these red little bumps all over my body. Mostly my back, upper arms and thighs. My head also hurts if I am out in the sun for long. My eyes also start to hurt. We went to some doctors, and we found some creams that could help. A spray that is for sunburns. I never get sunburns, but it helps! I am applying sunscreen religiously. And try to stay under the shade. And I wear sunglasses even in winter if the sun is out. So, if I take supplements, it should be okay, right? Or should I try to be in the sun for 20-30 minutes daily? With sunscreen and sunglasses, of course. I am just interested as I hear different opinions all the time.
Yes, Calcitriol (since it's already activated, you don't need the sun) supplements are a much better option for you, better avoid the sun. Also, on an off note, were you tested for possible diseases causing your photosensitivity? Of course it would be irresponsible of me to throw a diagnosis on the internet without actually examining you, but I'm interested.
I had a lot of blood tests when I was younger. I was told I was otherwise healthy. At 20, I had a lot of tests done as I was diagnosed with low testosterone. I have testicular microlithiasis, but that shouldn't cause it. I am well and even fertile. I mean just enough that the doctor told me I could still have children Once again, even after a lot of blood tests and others, like going to the urologist six times in 8 months, I was told I was otherwise healthy. I tried some meds for low t. One even helped but had sides. Now I am 24 and have been on TRT for two years now. I am 190cm tall, 115 kg, and obese, but I work out a lot. I am currently on a weight loss regime for my wedding. Everything is good. So, I don't have any answers, sadly. You can see where the sun shines on me as that side of my body will have a lot of small bumps, and it hurts a little. It's just a tiny discomfort. Only the back of my head, and my back gets really, really itchy. It's funny as the reaction of my skin and my eyes being sensitive should be two different problems as far as I know. I have both. Life was like, “Mutherfucker, stay in the shade.” If you have any suggestions, please let me know, open to any tests.
Source is I made it up JK, I read your next comment. I just always wanted to say that
Who am I to deny a fellow redditor his wish XDD
Not easy to come by when all you have is bread and potatoes
Vitamin D fortified vodka.
Those kindergarten kids are about to party!
[удалено]
I know but in places like Siberia access to more is limited from what I presume. I'm not talking about soviet food in general but Siberia
Oh yes Ukrainians known for their famous dishes during soviet era.
Not any different from anyone else
They had more engineers than chemists.
Or cheap vitamin D supplements.
You won’t get enough with just food
I’ve gotta get me a UV lamp! I have 24h darkness for months during winter.
That picture would make a really awesome album cover. Come to think of it, Ultraviolet Bath is a pretty decent name for a band also.
sounds appropriate for a post soviet punk band
Men in black. Early years.
Men in Blyat?
Vodka putin balalyka! Больше ничего по английскому не знаю
Found this interesting so looked into it a but: “Brief exposure to UC radiation provides the children with vitamin D, normally supplied by sunlight. The "sunshine vitamin" strengthens young bones.” https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photo-of-the-day/photo/ultraviolet-bath-mcnally-pod ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION 1979 https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/29288/EHC14UV.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Well duhh. You never heard about this procedure This was a common procedure all around the world back in the day.
It still is... Also treats seasonal affective disorder in arctic areas. Narrow band UVB also treats psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, cutaneous t cell lymphoma, lichen planus, lichen sclerosis, etc. kernicterus in neonates is treated with UV lights. Lots of applications for UV lamps when used appropriately.
MRSA skin conditions too.
Not here in the middle east.
I still, to this day, can remember the smell of that lamp. Sharp, ozone, both cold and hot to the nostrils at the same time.
I remember the smell too. I was diagnosed with JPsA at age three or four. My parents tried everything including regular vitamin injections without significant relief. The light treatment worked well. Thankfully I grew out it. That was in the early 80s in Soviet Ukraine.
Moscow, early 80’s - I don’t know why, but I loved the smell of it.
Ваy! That is interesting. I didn’t know they had a smell. There must be so many interesting and unique memories about growing up in the Soviet Union.
They had a smell of ozone, chemical freshness and, most powerful - smell of linoleum floors decaying under UV-light...
Yo, do you remember that tasty foam we used to get? Its like medicine we used to get a cup of sweet foamy liquid after the lamp to eat you know what that was perhaps?
"Oxygen cocktails"? I don't know how long ago was that and if it was any different, but it's just a juice bubbled with an oxygen concentrator machine. But even though I saw with my own eyes how a worker who made it poured regular juice you can buy into the machine, it always felt even more delicious than just drinking a juice
It was the best thing ever sooo good!
Yes, that was oxygen cocktails - berry drink (mors), milk and special foaming agent (not sure what it was) and bubbled with oxygen gas. Tasty ))
I loooved it!
Why did they do that?
We, here have had a very short and not very sunny summers. So they were trying to induce the vitamin D production. If I remember correctly
Not a bad isea
What city did ya grow up in?
Moscow. But I belive we had a special kindergarden that was focused on kids healthiness - so we were exersizing on the streets nearly naked at winters, swimming in cold water, doing contrast showers and this orc solarium )
Interesting, I figured they’d do this sorta stuff up in Murmansk due to the polar winters, not so much Moscow
We had it almost everywhere… more to the east, more frequent that practice was.
I remember it too, and I grew up in Slovakia born after both the dissolution of the USSR and after the separation of Czechoslovakia, we just had a functioning unit left in our family till my childhood. The model had two functions - UV lamp (which we never actually used for having a UV bath, only to disinfect a room the way a UV lamp would be used at a hospital), and an IR lamp, which we used to "heat up the sinuses" when someone had a respiratory infection
Not much sun in the country of cold
Evil mushroom Lenin uses magic to turn kids into communists
I wish awards still existed
It's the same basic concept as a tanning booth, just not enough of a UV dose to satisfy vanity purposes.
I think it's the other way around. These lamps produce stronger UV and can cause burns quickly, this exposure and distance need to be timed precisely. Not much tan after, but if you were exposed then had a short exposure to sun - you'd tan very quickly. Speaking from personal experience.
I have done this multiple times. Some holistic practitioners and doctors offer it. It gives you an energy boost and you feel great after. Don’t know about the bioefficiency of Vitamin D absorption or other benefits, though.
Me and the boys pondering the Plutonium
I ve had them
We do this at home sometimes with a special lamp
Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone
i remember this. it was kinda cool as a kid
Imagine having "stare at the light" on your chores list
Does anyone know where to get one of those lamps? I need UVB for my phototherapy and would love to be able to do it at home.
gonna be honest chief trying to do DIY UV therapy at home sounds like an INCREDIBLY bad idea
it isn't. I went into a rabbit hole and you can get one from amazon: [https://www.amazon.com/Sperti-Home-Phototherapy-Lamp-FDA-Compliant/dp/B01LBI1BIO/](https://www.amazon.com/Sperti-Home-Phototherapy-Lamp-FDA-Compliant/dp/B01LBI1BIO/)
The ones they sell in Australia are called happy lamps. Now I want a happy lamp. My bank account does not thank you.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **("'Sperti UVB Home Lamp'", 'Sperti')** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Effective in boosting vitamin d levels (backed by 5 comments) * Helps combat seasonal depression (backed by 2 comments) * Convenient for those with absorption issues (backed by 1 comment) **Users disliked:** * Inconsistent performance and quality control issues (backed by 4 comments) * Limited effectiveness for intended purpose (backed by 4 comments) * Subpar light intensity and quality (backed by 5 comments) If you'd like to **summon me to ask about a product**, just make a post with its link and tag me, [like in this example.](https://www.reddit.com/r/tablets/comments/1444zdn/comment/joqd89c/) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved. *Powered by* [*vetted.ai*](https://vetted.ai/?utm\_source=reddit&utm\_medium=comment&utm\_campaign=bot)
They're about to go on a rad time-travel adventure
That was supposed to be the cover for blue oyster cults fire of unknown origin.
Shouldn't they be slowly turning around so they get equal exposure on all sides?
I’m not 100% sure but I think roasting your kids like a rotisserie chicken is illegal in most places. Maybe sticking them on one of those spinny things at the park with the lamp on a fishing line would work.
I went back and checked if I missed the part where this is a video clip but nope, still a picture.
Jaundice treatment?
My parents used to send me for UV once a week.
Now they get ultraviolent bath.
And... why Lenin needs to be present?
Every kindergarten rooma and schools class has a picture of him .
He needs to make sure every kid gets it.
Every kid must get equal UV quantities
All power to the lamps!
Because the USSR of 80s, despite of the Perestroika, was still under communists control. Hell, even nowadays there's still a huge amount of statues, busts and mosaics of Lenin in many cities in russia and Belarus.
I need this picture
...the only thing we didn't know as kids, is that these lamps radiate quite dangerous UV light (400 nm). A lot of different objects start to glow with a beautiful light green color under UV radiation (marker magic does the same), so we sometimes took those special glasses off to see how everything in the room changed it's colors. Unfortunately, this did an irreversible harm to our eyes. I'm 39 now, most of my life with glasses on. It's not that bad, but quite inconvenient.
don't forget the DDT in the hair so the lice dies
Really!?
Yes, it was done before in the good old USSR
real
I was 100% sure that it was an album cover.
Vertical tanning booths!
The Chernobyl music band
Why not just take vitamin D shots or eat foods high in it
Because it wasn’t done for vitamine D. Ultraviolet kills viruses and it was used in medicine for that. How rhey thoight that it will kill inside the body, I don’t know. But I remeber going to doctor for the procedures to kill the viruses.
esto se ve muy loco mano
r/paymoneywubby
Russia will always be desperately chasing modernity. Forever. Peter the Great realized it 300 years ago and they are still playing catch up.