Tanning beds and Vitamin D
The best source of Vitamin D is the sun. In fact, we get eighty to one hundred percent of our Vitamin D from it. But if you go to a tanning salon, will you be getting the same benefit the sun gives you? A sunless tan means not getting a tan directly from the sun, so where will you be getting it from? Read on to find out more about tanning beds and Vitamin D.
Ultraviolet rays and tanning beds
Tanning beds and Vitamin D go hand in hand, just like the sun and vitamin D. The sun emits three kinds of Ultraviolet (UV) Rays: UVC at 100 to 290 nm, UVB at 290 to 320 nm, and UVA 320 to 400 nm. Tanning beds are installed with bulbs that emit mostly UVA (long-wave) rays, said to be less harmful than the UVB (short-wave) rays that cause burning. In effect, the tanning bed gives you the same emission as the sun but in a more controlled level of UV and exposure, and thus less harmful, giving you the full benefit of Vitamin D.
Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3, also known as Choleciferol, is the most effective and natural form of Vitamin D for humans, and is made when Ultraviolet light reacts with the skin. Vitamin D deficiency could cause several bone diseases like Rickets in children and Osteomalacia in adults. It could also lead to heart disease, depression, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. It has also been found to be a factor for most forms of cancer. That is why many scientists are now pursuing further studies regarding tanning beds and Vitamin D. They hope to prove that tanning beds can be used to treat diseases that stem from vitamin D deficiency. If their researches prove that tanning beds and Vitamin D can together heal people, we will probably find tanning beds in a lot of hospitals soon.
UV Precaution
Although we get Vitamin D from the sun and its rays, over-exposure could damage our eyes, immune system, or even cause skin cancer. The body has a natural defense system against UV radiation in the form of melanin, a substance that the skin produces. It absorbs the rays that protect our DNA. Nevertheless, it is advisable to keep in moderation exposure to the sun and frequency of going to tanning salons or using tanning beds. Tanning beds and Vitamin D must be used properly.
On a lighter note
It is also interesting to note that the sun's rays, and thus UV, produces more seratonin, the mood-lifting chemical in the brain. It makes sense why “I'm feeling sunny today” means what it means. So for a healthy body and a healthy feeling, go and soak up some sun or hit the tanning beds at your local salon. Let tanning beds and Vitamin D perk you up. But of course, as all things, you should only tan in moderation.
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