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'5 Minutes at Midday Is Enough': Expert Warns on Vitamin D and Sun Exposure
🇹🇷 Turkey /Health & Science

'5 Minutes at Midday Is Enough': Expert Warns on Vitamin D and Sun Exposure

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Experts advise short, frequent sun exposure for Vitamin D activation, warning against prolonged sunbathing.
  • Professor Ayşe Akman emphasized that sunlight is vital for Vitamin D production, which helps prevent diseases ranging from cancer to bone fractures.
  • Excessive sun exposure increases skin cancer risk; brief periods, totaling about half an hour daily around midday, are sufficient.

While sunlight is crucial for activating Vitamin D in the body, experts caution against excessive exposure due to the risk of skin cancer. Professor Ayşe Akman, from Akdeniz University's Faculty of Dermatology and Venereology, stressed the vital role of sunlight in Vitamin D synthesis. This essential vitamin plays a key role in preventing a wide range of health issues, from various cancers to bone fractures.

Five minutes at a time is enough.

— Prof. Dr. Ayşe AkmanAkman's advice on the duration of sun exposure needed for Vitamin D activation.

Akman advised that brief periods of sun exposure are sufficient for the body to produce adequate Vitamin D. She recommended spending no more than five minutes at a time in the sun, with a daily total not exceeding half an hour, preferably during midday hours. This approach aims to balance the health benefits of Vitamin D production with the need to mitigate the dangers of UV radiation.

Sunlight is vitally important for Vitamin D to become active in the body.

— Prof. Dr. Ayşe AkmanAkman explaining the necessity of sun exposure for Vitamin D synthesis.

The warning comes as awareness grows about both the benefits of Vitamin D and the risks associated with unprotected sun exposure. By following these guidelines, individuals can potentially harness the positive effects of sunlight while minimizing their vulnerability to skin damage and cancer.

Its deficiency invites many diseases, from cancer to bone fractures.

— Prof. Dr. Ayşe AkmanAkman detailing the health consequences of Vitamin D deficiency.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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