Tanning beds may be even more effective as a vitamin D producer than was previously believed. That’s the consensus of research published by Dr. Michael Holick’s group at Boston University. Holick’s group studied 15 people aged 20-53, tracking their vitamin D blood levels as they tanned in tanning equipment three times a week. How’d they do?

• 50 percent higher vitamin D blood levels after one week of tanning.
• 150 percent higher vitamin D blood levels after 5 weeks of tanning.

Bottom line: Un-natural supplements can’t do that! Not at over-the-counter levels. Consider: Three tanning sessions a week will deliver the equivalent of 30,000-75,000 international units of vitamin D (depending on skin type and other factors) – levels that cannot possibly be obtained through any other source. Even fresh salmon from the stream has a maximum of only 1,000 IU of vitamin D – not enough to move vitamin D blood levels nearly as much as tanning.

Vitamin D scientists now target vitamin D blood levels of 40-60 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter). Many vitamin D specialists now refer to these levels as “Natural Vitamin D levels” – amounts that are consistent only with natural outdoor living in sunny climates.

Previous research has shown that sunbed users, on average, have 90 percent higher vitamin D levels as compared to non-tanners, who are deficient today, according to vitamin D researchers.

SmartTan.com news articles regularly report medical and scientific information to keep you abreast of current events related to UV light. This information is not intended to be used by any party to make unwarranted health claims to promote sunbed usage. Indoor tanning businesses are obligated to communicate a fair and balanced message to all clients about your products and services including the potential risks associated with indoor tanning. Contact your Smart Tan representative to find out more about what you can and can’t say in your tanning salon business.

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