title: Sun beds and cod liver oil as vitamin D sources.
abstract: The objective of this study was to (1) to determine the contribution of moderate sun bed exposure to serum 25(OH)D(3) levels; (2) to estimate the decay time of a high 25(OH)D(3) level obtained by sun bed exposure; and (3) to evaluate if the recommended ingestion of vitamin D is sufficient to maintain the 25(OH)D(3) concentration obtained by sun bed exposure. Ten volunteers (20-35 y.o.), skin type I and II, living in Olso, Norway were whole body exposed twice per week to the radiation of a commercial and approved sun bed (Life Sun S 100 W, Wolff System), starting with 0.5 MED (minimal erythema dose) and escalating to up to 1 MED per exposure for 4 weeks. After that, half of the volunteers were given a daily supplement of 200 IU vitamin D in the form of cod liver oil capsules, while the other half of the persons received no supplements. Erythema did not occur at any time and a slight pigmentation was seen in most of the volunteers after the sun bed exposures. Serum level of 25(OH)D(3) increased by about 40% on the average. The initial serum 25(OH)D(3) level was different among the volunteers (40-100 nmol/L). Within eight weeks after the last exposure the 25(OH)D(3) level decreased to the initial value in all volunteers irrespective of vitamin D supplementation or not.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Biology, Rikshospitalet-Radiumhospitalet Medical Center, Montebello, 0310 Oslo, Norway. a.c.porojnicu@usit.uio.no
authors.forename: Alina Carmen
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Porojnicu
authors.forename: Oyvind Sverre
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Bruland
authors.forename: Lage
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aksnes
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Moan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D003060:Cod Liver Oil / Q000737:chemistry*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012621:Seasons; D013472:Sunlight; D013997:Time Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D003060:Cod Liver Oil; D002112:Calcifediol