Not enough sun
When your skin is exposed to sunlight, vitamin D synthesis occurs. But some people don’t get the sunlight they need in order for this to happen. This includes people who live in northern climates, office workers who spend hours a day behind a desk, and even children who play indoors rather than outside. “Not getting enough vitamin D affects bone health as well as many other metabolic processes in the body,” says Niket Sonpal, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. It’s a myth, experts say that wearing sunscreen year round is one of the causes of vitamin D deficiency—because most people don’t apply it well enough to prevent the skin from producing D. Check out 10 more sunscreen myths that make dermatologists cringe.
Getting older
“Everyone is at increased risk of developing low vitamin D levels as they age because the skin cannot synthesize the vitamin as efficiently,” says Ginger Hultin, a Seattle-based registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Older adults may also spend more time indoors. Check out the 23 vitamin D benefits that can save your life.
Dark skin
Having a darker skin pigment can be one of the causes of vitamin D deficiency. “Higher amounts of the pigment melanin in the epidermal layer of the skin causes both a darker skin color and a reduced ability of the skin to produce vitamin D from sunlight,” says Hultin. “This can mean lower blood levels of vitamin D.” Do you know the 9 signs that you’re not getting enough D?
