Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Anyone raise their Vit D levels in the winter through sun exposure? I'm in New Orleans and wish to do so as my Vit D level is 7. Had COVID recently and heard Dr. McDougall say the inflamation can cause Vit D to lower so perhaps it's this. I'm eating the good stuff and plan to head into sunshine each day. Just not sure if it will help. I do not want to take supplements because I believe what Dr. McDougall is saying. I just want to know if anyone else was successful in raising Vit D in winter. Thanks in advance.

My husband and I have been using a Sperti Vitamin D lamp to raise our Vitamin D levels. https://www.sperti.com/
It works. We have used it for several years. It is generally too cold where we live to expose much bare flesh, so we use it all year round.

Hi. Vanilla Orchid! Thanks for the info. I'll save up in case my sun walks don't do it!

There was an active user on these forums a few years ago.
She lived in North Carolina, was a Caucasian woman.
She did an experiment where she sat outside for 15 min or so in the winter.
She was able to increase her vitamin D levels a lot.
Search and you should be able to find her post.
I think her name started with Terri ?

Sperti lamp is a great idea.
I am also thinking of getting one.

Vanilla Orchid: how do you use it? Put on the googles and expose large parts of the body for 5 min every day?

Here is the post:

https://drmcdougallforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47000&p=484716&hilit=winter+vitamin+D&sid=a390777600cc625c535136314692d287&sid=a390777600cc625c535136314692d287#p484716

Pundit thanks so much. That's encouraging. I've had low electrolytes and actually passed out while feeling bad and sick with COVID recently. So I am a little nervous. Went to the park today and Pandora played Sunshine on My Shoulders. It felt good. I did take a Vit D tab...2000.. before I checked out Dr McDougalls recommendations. Have to say I felt better the next day... don't know if that's why. It is pretty dang low. So I will be in the Sun everyday it's shining.

The "shadow rule" says that if your shadow is longer than you are tall, you cannot gain Vitamin D from sunlight exposure.

In New Orleans today, solar noon (when the sun is the highest) occurs at 11:56 am. The sun will be at a 37 degree angle (from the horizon). It needs to be at an angle above 45 degrees in order for it to be high enough to generate Vitamin D. At lower angles, the UV rays are filtered out by the atmosphere. It will not be that high in New Orleans until solar noon on March 9th. So, even then, it would only be high enough briefly.

In order to be effective, get sun exposure from late March to mid-October. In March, April, September and October, make sure you are outside around solar noon. (sorry, I cannot believe Terri in NC - the science does not support her tale)

Want to simply things? Use the shadow rule!

We are all different

I have a different opinion from what many McDougallers will probably say. I only speak for myself of course. But I live in Wisconsin.

We have LOOONG dark winters, often too cold for a human to be out. I have never been able to maintain vitamin D levels by being outside in the winter, although I do go out for exercise when the weather allows. (Just walked for an hour in below freezing weather, on a sunny day.)

When tested for Vitamin D, I have had levels so low my doctor was rather shocked. I do take a supplement in the winter, and I do it based on advice from a doctor who knows my history.

(I should add, that I have wondered how many Vitamin-D studies - the ones that help set the normal range-are done on non-caucasian people? I have Middle Eastern ancestry. If I'm genetically programmed for the latitude of Lebanon, maybe that's why I have such low Vitamin-D levels in our far northern winters. I don't have scientific knowledge of this, but it's an interesting question. I think results are likely very different for African-American, HIspanic and other darker folks in general.

Perhaps I will try the lamp approach, as I would rather not supplement if it's avoidable. I'm having a check-up this week, so I will ask about this.

Thanks Landog and Minnie. I'm a bit at a loss. Can't afford the 500 lamps. I have heard the D2 isn't as good but I've been scarfing down shrooms that supposedly have 50 percent daily need per serving. That's what it says on package. Who knows. Maybe I'll try to find a tanning salon.

So the skin cancer association says tanning beds primarily produce UVA and it's UVB that we need for Vit D. I think I'm going to get in bed and listen to the rain. Tomorrow is a new day to figure out a plan.

American Academy of Dermatology Association

Indoor Tanning

https://www.aad.org/media/stats-indoor-tanning

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I've taken the advice of the Canadian Cancer Society regarding Vitamin D supplements for years, especially now that I'm in my 70's.

Having either too little or too much vitamin D can cause health problems. Current evidence suggests that taking a supplement of 1000 IU of vitamin D a day may help reduce your risk of cancer with the least chance of harm.

https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information ... o-consider

Thanks Taggart. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to talk to me about this. I found this research article about mushrooms treated with UV light. They are postitive about these shrooms being a good source even when cooked. Some cooking methods are better than others. Shelf life is a factor too.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213178/

This one is interesting too because they measured the Vit D in commercial mushrooms.

https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/8 ... m_VitD.pdf

I'm hoping that the mushrooms coming from sources saying they have 50% of daily need per servicng are more accountable for actually producing this by exposing them to uv light.

When I can get Vit D from the Sun in short periods of exposure I will do so. I'm hoping the shrooms do it for me now. I do feel better since I took the supplement (not taking any longer) and have been eating the shrooms. I am not so tired and depressed. I also got into the apparently ineffectual sunlight but it still felt good.

Good luck Anna, I hope you find something that works for you.

I had not known about the mushrooms! Thanks for the links.
That is easy enough and it can't hurt to try .

I live in a fairly Northern latitude in Canada and for 6 months of year it is simply not possible to obtain sufficient vitamin D from the sun. Thus I supplement with 1000 - 2000 iu's per day for half of the year (a number many consider to be fairly conservative). It isn't a perfect solution, but it is what I have selected. While I know the body stores vitamin D and can hold onto it for a prolonged period of time, my bloodwork has shown that even with generous vitamin D stores at the end of summer, I cannot make it through the winter and maintain a decent vitamin D level. Some people are comfortable with low vitamin D levels over the winter (and argue that it is natural), but I don't arrive at this conclusion as our ancestors haven't lived away from the equator/tropics for a long enough time for evolution to have adapted to this IMO (though clearly in terms of skin pigmentation, some adaptation has taken place). Some day when I am old and retired I will visit warmer climates for a prolonged period each winter where I can get sufficient sun/vitamin D, but until then I am most comfortable with taking a modest supplement. Lastly, I am definitely not comfortable with any form of tanning lamp due to the increase skin cancer risk that may accompany them.

Remember though that most of well-being is tied up in eating well, moving your body, managing stress, having great social connections, good sleep, etc. The amount that adequate vitamin D levels contributes to health is certainly far less than those factors for the overwhelming majority of people. So always focus on the key behaviours that matter most for health and well being. And while Dr. McDougall and Jeff Novick have commented on vitamin D a few times, my impression is that they aren't loosing sleep over this topic. As they always say - "It's the food!" They don't say - "It's the vitamin D!"

Thanks Drew for your thoughtful response.