The Los Angeles Daily News this week joined the list of major media outlets to print positive stories about UV light and vitamin D.

“There are so many things that vitamin D may do that are beneficial,” Dr. David Feldman, long-time vitamin D researcher at Stanford University’s School of Medicine told the paper this week.

I’m afraid if it’s hyped too much, people are going to think nothing can be this good, that it works on all these diseases.”

The Daily News also quoted vitamin D pioneer Dr. Michael Holick of the Boston University Medical Center, who told the paper that Americans typically get more than 90 percent of their vitamin D from the sun.

“But there is growing concern about a vitamin D deficiency in the U.S., because many people stay indoors most of the day and protect themselves in clothes and sunscreen – which block vitamin D synthesis – when they are outdoors,” the Daily News wrote. “The problem is especially prevalent among people of color. The melanin that shades the skin and protects against sunburn also slows, by six fold or more, the synthesis of vitamin D. Experts say a Vitamin D deficiency is widespread among black Americans and might be linked to their high rates of prostate cancer and hypertension.”

Feldman has always advocated pharmaceutical supplementation of vitamin D, but Holick advocated regular non-burning sun exposure in the story.

“This is one more media source that is starting to put the new math about UV and vitamin D together,” Smart Tan’s Joseph Levy said. “You can’t make enough vitamin D without sunlight, and UV is the body’s natural source of vitamin D. Stories like these will make it easier for us to make our case as things move forward.”

To read the full Daily News story, click here.