Am I still getting the vitamin D I need by sitting outside?
You pose a very good question about gaining vitamin D by sunlight exposure vs. the risk of skin cancer. Sitting outside in sunlight will boost vitamin D levels but your skin must be exposed and free of sunscreen. Reducing the risk of skin cancer, especially in light of your family history, should take priority and wearing sunscreen and a hat are good ways to reduce your skin cancer risk. In this case I recommend vitamin D supplements to maintain adequate levels. You can easily get your vitamin D level checked by a blood test (officially known as a 25OHD level) to know if you are vitamin D deficient. Based on the results you may need to have a high dose vitamin d supplement to increase your levels or a lower dose supplement to maintain an adequate existing vitamin D level.
Skin cancer has been a problem for me for years. To get my "dose" of vitamin D I take a 50,000 unit capsule once a week. Vit. D level checked on a regular basis. Works great.
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