2011
Author(s): Krzy_cin JW, Jaros_awski J, Sobolewski PS
It is widely recognized that vitamin D deficiency has detrimental health consequences. The ultraviolet (UV) B radiation increases the serum vitamin D level, expressed by 25-hydroxyvitamin-D 3 [25(OH)D]. An analytical model is presented to calculate the serum 25(OH)D changes throughout a year, caused by the solar exposure variability due to geophysical and habitual factors. The model is tuned by taking into account recent experimental results of serum 25(OH)D changes, after a series of artificial (by fluorescent tubes) UV exposures. The model uses the erythemal and vitamin D weighted irradiances, inferred from the Brewer spectrophotometer and the Kipp and Zonen broad-band meter measurements, carried out in Belsk (52¡N, 21¡E), Poland, in 2010. The modeled seasonal pattern of the serum 25(OH)D concentration in Polish indoor workers is only slightly different, than in subjects with typical outdoor activity habits, and in those with sun-seeking behavior. A deep minimum in the serum 25(OH)D concentration appears in late winter, regardless of outdoor activity habits. An extra sunbathing to boost the vitamin D level is not worth taking, because of a minor improvement of the vitamin D status, and because of a greater erythema risk. It would be much safer and more effective to maintain an adequate vitamin D level through diet supplements, even in summer, for non sun-seeking subjects.
Journal: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology. B, Biology