Vitamin D-eficiency

Despite year-round sunshine, vitamin D deficiency is a huge problem in the UAE. Professional Beauty explores how our industry can help.

We’re constantly warned about the damaging and ageing effect of the sun’s rays on our skin, but by advising our clients to avoid sun exposure completely, could we be doing more harm than good?

Exposure to UVB radiation provides the mechanism for more than 90 per cent of the vitamin D production in most individuals, but wearing a sunscreen with an SPF as low as eight reduces the skin’s production of vitamin D by 95 per cent.

WHY IS VITAMIN D SO ESSENTIAL?

Vitamin D is also known as “the sun vitamin”, but despite its name it is actually a prohormone and is essential for
numerous functions throughout the body. It plays a key role in calcium metabolism, making it integral to bone health. Vitamin D is also vitally important to skin health, as it is directly involved in the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes. If adequate amounts of vitamin D are not available, epidermal cells cannot differentiate optimally.

DEFICIENCY – IT’S MORE COMMON THAN WE THINK

Despite the abundance of sunshine in the Middle East allowing vitamin D synthesis all year round, the region registers some of the lowest levels of vitamin D. Figures show 78 per cent of the UAE population has vitamin D deficiency, and that it is highly prevalent in Emirati women. Dr Rebecca Treston, founder of Rebecca Treston Aesthetics, based in Dubai, comments: “Vitamin D is essential for a healthy, vibrant life and plenty of energy. What most people aren’t aware of is that you can’t get the right amount of vitamin D from food alone.

“The majority of us spend our time in air-conditioned environments at work, while weekends are typically spent at home or in the mall. Vitamin D deficiency can also be apparent in those who have the correct amount of sun exposure due to environmental conditions that may negatively impact how vitamin D is absorbed.”

Dr Hoda Makkawi, consultant in family medicine and integrative holistic medicine at Euromed Clinic Center, comments: “In general, there are two main reasons behind the UAE’s prominent deficiency of vitamin D. Arabic men and women tend to have limited sun exposure, or sometimes even a complete lack of exposure to sunlight due to the fact they adhere to modesty in dressing by wearing a hijab or traditional abaya. There is also a real awareness about how the sun can be linked to cancer. Because of this, most women avoid sun exposure or wear sunscreen with high SPF. This blocks vitamin D from penetrating into the skin.”

HOW WE CAN HELP

Education is key. Dr Treston suggests: “Advise clients that all they need is 20 minutes of daily sun exposure and have a supplementation range on offer to try and combat vitamin D deficiency. Having a qualified nutritionist on board to help advise on the food groups that are best for those who are vitamin D deficient is a useful addition to your business.” Dr Hoda suggests: “Educating the GCC population with simple tips will help knock the high percentage [of vitamin D deficiency] down over the next few years.”

VITAMIN D IN THE DIET

Although they contribute minimally to our vitamin D levels, we should not forget to mention dietary sources to our clients. Unfortunately, there are few good-quality, natural sources of vitamin D. Oily fish, such as wild salmon, sardines, mackerel and eggs, provide vitamin D but most other food sources come in the form of highly processed, fortified foods such as margarines and breakfast cereals, which are not recommended
In summary, when advising your clients on vitamin D, consider the following:

• Recommend that skin is safely exposed to sunlight for 20 minutes daily. If applying sunscreen to the face, it could be the arms that are exposed (of course – at a level that doesn’t cause redness or burning)

• Add eggs and oily fish to the diet. Both are a good source of vitamin D and also provide protein and a number of other essential nutrients

• Recommend your clients see a doctor who can prescribe a vitamin D3 supplement at a dose to suit the needs of the individual. Most of us can benefit from consistent supplementation, regardless of the time of year.