The internet is increasingly circulating statements about health which, although convincing, should always be checked with the help of specialists before being integrated into the daily routine. This is also the case of controversial information, promoted in the online environment by a wellness influence for the postnatal period, which claims that the time you take shower, the angle of the sun and the moment of exposure to the UV rays could influence the amount of vitamin D that absorbs the body.
Vitamin D absorption has nothing to do with daily showers, say DMS collage specialists
Content creator behind Instagram account “Heal20”author of Heal20 Postpartum Prep Blueprint – “A complete map to plan your postnatal period, from physical recovery to creating a” support network “ – argues that, in order to maintain an optimal level of vitamin D, it is necessary to expose yourself daily between 10 and 30 minutes. Moreover, it recommends exposure of thighs and abdomen, not just the arms or legs (because “It is not enough ”), the consumption of foods rich in vitamin D – such as salmon, egg yolk, fortified dairy, mushrooms – and administration of supplements, especially during breastfeeding.
And the most controversial of all tips is this: do not take a shower immediately after sun exposure, but wait about an hour, on the grounds that “The skin needs time to absorb vitamin D.”.
But does this theory have any scientific basis?
What the experts say
Dr. Manjusha Agarwal, primary physician in internal medicine at Gleneagles Parel Hospital, claims that this idea has no scientific basis. She explained that it does not matter if you take a shower immediately or an hour after sun exposure – the amount of vitamin D produced by the body remains the same: “Vitamin D. It is synthesized in the skin when UVB rays interact with cholesterol in skin cells. It is an internal process that does not occur on the surface. Some people believe that the shower could “wash” vitamin D before they are absorbed but studies clearly show that once produced in the deeper layers of the skin, Vitamin D. It is not eliminated with water or soap ”.
So it is perfectly safe and normal to take a shower after you have exposed to the sun: “You don't have to worry – the body naturally regulates the production of Vitamin D.and the shower, regardless of the moment, does not affect it ”.
Instead, it is much more important to focus on safe exposure to the sun and skin hydration to maintain a good general health.
“Therefore, he no longer believes in viral posts or trends on social networks, because many wrong information circulates online. It is best to clarify these wrong conceptions with the help of an expert.” also stressed Dr. Agarwal.
