Vitamin D in Dark Skin Tones

By Pearline Davis, ND

It’s time, the sun is giving us the last wave until we see it again in April. That means it’s time for our Vitamin D supplementation to come back onboard. As a woman of color, for me, this means taking a little bit higher dosing, and in the thick of winter and after a cold even more. The general rule for Vitamin D supplementation in the PNW is the more pigmented the skin tone, the higher the dose for supplementation needed. With darker skin tones it is less likely that the little bit of sun that does get through our hazy days, in the fall and winter, will actually effect our Vitamin D levels. 

The Key Role of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a key player in many aspects of our health. It influences the way that our bodies absorb nutrients. Current recommended daily values of vitamin D for adults is 600-800 IU daily. While we can get some from food this is usually not adequate for most of us in the PNW. (Even if you’d like to eat 6 oz of salmon daily to get about 800 IU). 

Vitamin D helps with mood, energy, bone health, muscle tone and maintenance. It has been identified as a factor that helps prevent falls in elderly as it helps maintain the muscles that help with posture (thus that help prevent falls). Vitamin D helps with muscle recovery after workouts, and it’s noted to help prevent flares in autoimmune conditions including IBD and RA. 

Tailoring Dosage for Darker Skin Tones

So, for lighter skin tones the RDA dosing is accurate on what should be consumed. However, for darker skin tones sometimes double (or even triple ) that amount is necessary to be able to get the same effect as we go into the winter season. Make sure that you are getting enough vitamin D to keep your bones and brain happy. There are many forms of vitamin D that you can take (capsule, liquid, injectable). Whichever is easiest for you to take—do it!

For more detailed information or advice on dosing and what else you can do to support your health in the coming gray season, schedule an appointment with one of our docs at the clinic today. 

—Dr. Pearl—