Can daily spf 50 block vitamin D from sun?

[eurovisionfan]

Saw this article and now I'm just so confused.
I wear spf daily on my face as part of my skincare routine, but this article made me wonder about whether it could block vitamin D? He was criticised for remarks but do you think there is anything in what he is saying?

www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/may/13/health-expert-tim-spector-criticised-for-remarks-on-year-round-use-of-sunscreen

I haven't read that article but there have been some meta analysises about this and it was found that sunscreen use does not cause vitamin D deficiency.

The author of the research paper has said that Tim Spector is wrong.

https://twitter.com/ReiseSousaLab/status/1790089798008418324

If you're using skincare that increases photosensitivity (e.g. Vitamin C, Retinol/Tretinoin, AHAs) then you should be wearing sunscreen even in winter. It doesn't have to be SPF 50, but one that offers good UVA protection is important, as active skincare means your skin is more at risk of sun damage.

Well, the NHS would appear to agree with him (and this is not new news):

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/rickets-and-osteomalacia/prevention/#:~:text=While%20it's%20important%20for%20children,when%20out%20in%20the%20sun.

Specifically this webpage says:

Sunlight

Sunlight is a good source of vitamin D and it's where we get most of our vitamin D from. The vitamin forms under the skin after sun exposure.In the UK, a short period of exposure on the hands and face when the sun is at its strongest (between 11am and 3pm) from late March/April to the end of September is enough for most people.

You won't get vitamin D from the sun if you wear sunscreen, but you should apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 before your skin starts to turn red or burn. This will help protect your skin from sun damage.While it's important for children to spend time in the sun to prevent rickets, babies and young children have very sensitive skin that burns easily. They need to use at least SPF 30 sunscreen and be covered up when out in the sun.

It even says in the article you have linked to that there is no link and studies have not shown that using sunscreen leads to a reduction in vitamin D.

I haven’t read the link but I have recurring solar keratosis from UV light. I was told to use highest dose of vitamin D because I can’t expose my skin. So I need 50 SPF daily.

I use a moisturiser with spf 30 on a daily basis but I use one with spf 50 if I am going to be out in the sun for a long time.

However in the UK we don't get enough sun or spend long enough outside to rely on it for vitamin D. I reckon most of us should be taking a supplement anyway.

Same as above. You can take a supplement for Vit D, you can’t take a pill to prevent cancer.

Everyone should be taking vitamin D anyway so carry on with the spf and take a supplement

That's a good compromise. I am in Scotland and not much sun :-(

Yeah especially with the long winter we have had

I developed vitamin D deficiency. I use sunscreen every day - factor 50 as I’m using retinols. The GP mentioned it as a possible reason why I’d become deficient.

Sunlight on the skin is a source of vitamin d. Sunscreen blocks sunlight from the skin.
I usually wait fifteen minutes after being in the sun before I apply sunscreen I have quite light skin so I'd leave it longer if I was darker. It's all about balance

I managed to get deficient to a level of 9(!) over lockdown which is quite an achievement

But realistically - I go to work in the morning, am inside with no windows all day, come home so I don't see sun from mon - Fri so no vitamin d
I had a high dose course in 2020 and have been taking 4000IU daily aince and have only got a level of 66

Gosh! So what do you have to do now to top up?

I keep taking 4000IU a day

I was told by my dr you do need some sun but you get sufficient from exposing arms etc, i always wear it on my face.

I wear it on my face daily (using vitamin c serum at the moment but always have used at least spf30 on my face now using 50 as starting to get more wrinkles!) I don't put it on my body or hands unless in the sun in the mid hours and/or for a prolonged time. I do take vitamin D supplements daily. I'm trying to make up for a few silly teen years where I didn't wear sunscreen and went on sun beds, a long time ago but I had a few bad burns back then. I get complements on how young I look and how nice my skin is so will stick with it! I have had problems with low vitamin D in the past though, so that's why I supplement, ironically the vitamin D deficiency was worse in the years I was getting a tan not the ones since!

I've had two primary melanomas and wear SPF 50 each day. I am deficient in Vit D and have to take a 7 day course of high dose Vit D every 6 months, so definitely something in this.

Get the GP to check your Vitamin D levels. If you are deficient they will give you an intense course, then you will have to sort your own maintenance dose. I buy Better You Vitamin D spray from Boots or Holland and Barrett. I used to cover everywhere with SPF 50. Now I am a bit more relaxed on my limbs if not out in the sun much.

It's very hard to get adequate levels of Vitamin D in the UK.

Vit D supplements are cheap, safe, readily available and super effective.

Take a supplement and wear sunscreen every day.

I managed to get a vitamin D deficiency when I lived in Australia, because I either kept out of the sun, covered up and/or wore a high spf sunscreen. I live in Scotland now, and take a vitamin D supplement daily, because I still like to protect my skin from the sun. I had a couple of pre-cancerous lesions removed when I lived in Aus, so I'm pretty careful about sun exposure.

Oh gosh... so how much vitamin d do you take now?