posted
I own a tanning salon; have tanned in years passed, but because I am red headed, of course I don't get "color".
I do have Vit D deficiency and my LLMD and my ILADS Nurse Practitioner have told me it would be ok to tan (mind you I have NEVER been able to tan a full 15 or 20 minute session, even after tanning for 3 months straight).
Do or have any of you used tanning beds to help with your Vit D issues? My biggest concern is the photosensitivity issues with all of the abx;
I have had to start at like 5 minutes, and that was before being dx'd........it is recommended that we get 15 to 20 minutes of natural light to help with Vit D. Do you really think that such a minimal amount of tanning in a bed will help?
-------------------- TL Posts: 365 | From OK | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Personally, I would go for a vitamin D supplement. I'm not against tanning, but I would think you would have to do a lot of tanning to get enough extra D. Supplementing would probably be safer, especially if you are fair skinned. Hang in there.
Posts: 101 | From USA | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
I am an outdoor person and often get a good deal of sun... more so than most, I suspect.
I am still low on Vitamin D... which seems hard to believe.
So I agree with Mommy of 3.... might want to also supplement with D vitamins.
Of course I am only using me as an example and we aren't all the same.
disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
I was very low in Vit D, below 7.
I went with the Vit D supplement.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
Cass A
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11134
posted
Personally, I wouldn't take Vit. D supplements unless my 1,25 D was actually low, since that's the active metabolite.
25D is not what the body actually uses.
It can be very low with 1,25 D very high. One time, I had a 25D of under 10 and a 1,25 D of 76!!! Over about 30 for 1,25 D, and your bones are being reabsorbed. Ugh.
You can look up in Adelle Davis, "Let's Get Well," relating to hypervitaminosis-D.
Of course, the Marshall Protocol is totally built around what happens with the 1,25D, etc., if you care to look that up.
Best,
Cass A
Posts: 1245 | From Thousand Oaks, CA | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
That is not true, the body does use the 25 hydroxy D; the 1,25 has a higher affinity for the receptor and is much more potent, but a balance needs to be present between the two.
You can get vit D from tanning, but you must use caution not to burn and do not apply any lotions prior that act as sunscreens, as they reduce the amount of UV B that converts the sub cutaneous cholesterol into the pre vitamin D.
This is the perfect time of the year to get D from sunshine, and if no sunscreen is used and you expose lots of skin, you will make plenty.
If you do this AND take oral D3 supplements and your level barely moves you are either overweight or you have a problem in the liver.
The premier researcher of vitamin D does not bother to check the 1,25 level, that form is synthesized from the 25 hydroxy on demand and has too short a half life to be meaningful. You want to know what the pool of precursor is, that is the 25 hydroxy.
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
| IP: Logged |
kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
Like Tincup, I live in a very sunny state, and I'm a crossing guard! My Vitamin D was low!
My daughter has been supplementing for 18 months. She went from zero to 73. She was up to 6000IU daily, but is now backing off.
I'm trying to get up to 3000IU daily, but it's causing a bit of a herx.
D3 made a big difference.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
This time of year, I'd get natural sun outside.
I bought a tanning bed from Dr. Mercola last winter because I feel so much better when I get some sun. I only spend 8 min. every other day tanning on days I can't get natural sun outside.
His tanning beds have addressed the EMF issues and the radiation issues.
If you use your salon's beds, be sure you have them set so that the UVB light is there .... I have heard, but don't know first hand, that some beds are primarily set for UVA for better tanning.
I've never used artificial tanning until I got sick. I think it helps, though there's no way to tell.
I don't like the supplementation route because you can become Vitamin D toxic, though I did use it when I was on doxy.
Google Dr. Mercola tanning and you will find some useful info.
As mentioned before, if you use sunscreen, either outside or in tanning beds, then you won't get the vitamin D production.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
-
The most important question is if a tanning bed is the same as the sun in regards to the benefits - and if any risks are covered.
Although a tanning bed obviously tans the skin as does the sun, does a tanning bed also impart the vitamin D benefits? Experts would be the best to help answer that question.
On thing about the sun's benefit to help prevent skin cancer is that the signal is done through the eyes. The brain is signaled to produce a (skin) cancer protectant when the sunlight (even if not direct) comes into ours eyes ("naked" eyes only, though, with no glasses or even contacts).
This cannot be done with a sun-bed and in, fact will damage the eyes. Therefore, as a body in a sun-bed tans, where does the protective mechanism come from?
I'd want to know the exact similarities and differences between tanning by sun or by bulb. Then you know best how to proceed.
Also, as I understand it, tanning itself is not necessary to gain the vitamin D - and other benefits - from being out in the light of day. One can get certain benefits even walking in the shade.
posted
I also have a Vit D deficiency and my dr. gave me D3 IU shots and told me to sit in the sun for 15 minutes a day. (I also have a hard time tanning and burn)
Posts: 370 | From NJ | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Natural light is better for aiding in the D deficiency because it emits more UVA and UVB combined than a bed does.
I am not familiar with the on six is referring to, but will do some investigating into that to see if it is really different from a standard tanning bed.
Herxing on D3? That doesn't sound appealing at all to me; I can't even take half of the recommended dosage of Diflucan OR Zithromax because of severe herxing right now.......
This has beecome a very informative thread.....thanks to everyone for the hard work
-------------------- TL Posts: 365 | From OK | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
Vitamin D is not a Vitamin. It is a secosteroid/hormone
thats like someone telling me to take estrogen or testosterone everyday.... thats not good.
There are new publications all the time stating this. Vitamins are not naturally produced in our bodies, D is produced in our bodies making it NOT a vitamin. It has many functions in the body.... thats where the misconception comes in that Vit D is a vitamin when it is NOT.
Look it up in pubmed or other resources... I think it is bad to have too much of it.
They use "VitD" to kill rats.... isnt that nice to know... It's called Quintox, google it and read the active ingridiant that is KILLING rats, Vit D3....
-------------------- "You'll be surprised to know how far you can go from the point you thought it was the end" Posts: 946 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Apr 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I went through pubmed but couldn't find what you were referring to. Can you post a direct article link when you get a chance? I am interested in reading about it because I have never heard about what you are referring to.
I found this on healthline..........
Recommendations
The best way to get the daily requirement of essential vitamins is to eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods from the food guide pyramid.
VITAMIN D IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN BECAUSE THE BODY MANUFACTURES THE VITAMIN AFTER BEING EXPOSED TO SUNSHINE. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine 3 times weekly is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D.
Specific recommendations for each vitamin depend on age, gender, and other factors (such as pregnancy). In general, those over age 50 need slighly higher amounts of vitamin D than younger persons.
-------------------- TL Posts: 365 | From OK | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
SForsgren
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7686
posted
My LLMD suggested that tanning is a better option than Vit D supplementation. I still decided to do the supplementation and not ruin my skin with tanning. The theory though was that low Vit D -> cancer. That sunlight and natural creation of Vit D has been proven to lower risk of cancer, but that supplemental Vit D has not been proven to bring the same cancer lowering effect. In other words, the supplement may not be as good as the real thing.
-------------------- Be well, Scott Posts: 4617 | From San Jose, CA | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Hey all,
Any idea what is causing a vitamin D deficiency in the first place? One of my good friend who does not have Lyme just got a routine physical and it showed a low Vitamin D level. We were both trying to figure out what the cause is? She's taking supplemental Vit D now.
IP: Logged |
posted
Sun avoidance, air pollution, skin pigmentation, a lifestyle that does not permit enough time in nature. Metabolic stress makes us use it faster too, so the toxic, fast paced, polluted, dog eat dog world we live in isn't helping.
[ 12. June 2008, 08:18 AM: Message edited by: DoctorLuddite ]
Posts: 442 | From Biddeford, ME | Registered: Nov 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[hi]](graemlins/hi.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic