In a blog post yesterday, Dr. Marc Sorenson of the Sunlight Institute critiques a recent press release from the Skin Cancer Foundation in which the foundation claimed that sunlight exposure is not a good source of vitamin D.

“The idea that sunlight exposure is the optimal source of vitamin D is not a misconception—as will be explained below,” Sorenson writes. “We will also discuss the fact that while the skin may cease producing vitamin D after 20 minutes of full-body exposure, it is because it has produced all the vitamin D the body needs—up to an impressive 20,000 international units (IU). Since many multi-vitamin supplements contain only 400-600 IU, it is obviously best to make sunlight the primary source of vitamin D.”

Sorenson goes on to denounce other aspects of the Skin Cancer Foundation press release, including its contention that tanning beds are not a healthy option for boosting vitamin D levels. He also criticizes the Skin Cancer’s Foundation that most skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, citing several studies that contradict that conclusion.

Click here to read the blog post from the Sunlight Institute.