How much of the body has to be exposed without cover to get enough Vitamin D? Ten minutes is always the time I find when researching, but I cannot find out how much of the body has to be actually exposed.
Sun exposure without sunscreen for 15 minutes between 10 am to 3 pm a couple of times per week to the face, arms, legs, or back in the summer is likely sufficient to maintain adequate levels of Vitamin D. This must be balanced against the risk of skin cancer depending on skin type, personal history, or family history.
You can also obtain Vitamin D from certain foods. Foods that naturally contain Vitamin D3 are:
- oily fish (wild salmon)
- cod liver oil
- beef liver
- egg yolks
Sun-dried mushrooms contain small amounts of Vitamin D2. In the U.S., milk, breads, some yogurts, cheeses, margarines, and juices are fortified with Vitamin D.
All my best,
Speaking of Women's Health Nurse
June 19, 2012 at 10:37am