Vitamin D Lights?

Timothybil

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

I don't know. UVB is nothing to mess around with. I would be more inclined to look at some of the lights that are used for therapy during the winter months when sunshine is limited.

Have you discussed this possible treatment with your medical professional? Personally, anything that produces more Vitamin D in 30 seconds than sunlight does in 30 minutes scares me. Show me some peer-reviewed studies and not a couple of press releases and you may be able to persuade me.
 

broadgage

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

I am very doubtful indeed.
Low vitamin D levels should be treated by a proper supplement, preferably one prescribed by a doctor, and by dietary adjustment to increase natural vitamin D levels.
Moderate sunlight exposure helps to an extent, but AFAIK more people die of skin cancer than of vitamin D deficiency so do not overdo it.

A full medical examination might be prudent in case your low vitamin D levels have some underlying cause.

Are you light skinned ? or dark ? Black skin is less effective than light skin in producing vitamin D from sunlight, this is not racist but a factual statement. One might expect that black skinned people living in northern climes would regularly suffer from lack of vitamin D, and indeed some do, though the problem is not believed to be widespread, presumably because an average modern diet is rich in the vitamin.
 

Keitho

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

I think what you're after is a light that produces UVB to create natural vitamin D. I don't think many LED are UVB. I'm a little skeptical of the medical benefits of bright visual spectrum light, except as part of sleep therapy.

UV lights are sometimes marketed as grow lights, because UV light helps plants grow. UV lights are also used to disinfect medical equipment. Side effects are increased natural production of vitamin D, sunburn, and higher risk of skin cancer. Careful with tanning beds and grow lights, as well as natural sunlight...all can harm you.
 

Bright_Light

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

Thanks for the replies.

I'm light skinned and get 15-20 minutes of sunlight a few times a week with my shirt off. My body has a problem with digesting food in general (I'm hyperthyroid), so I probably don't absorb all the nutritional vitamin D like most people. But my levels are not crazy low (27 ng/ml last test), but they could be higher.

Interesting responses so far. Was wanting to know what everyone thought about this. Would be amazing if it helped people out.
 

StarHalo

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

1-2 hours once every 1-2 weeks does wonders for my skin, I highly recommend taking up a hobby that leaves you wandering around in good light outdoors (photography for me.)

The ladies swear by spa LED light therapy for the face, though it doesn't use UV.
 

moozooh

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

It sounds more like you need to treat your thyroid issues if you want better nutrient absorption. Normally a person only requires a few minutes a day of sunlight (and even then not necessarily direct sunlight) to avoid vitamin D deficiency. I mean, if actual sunlight doesn't help you, how do you figure an LED with infinitesimal fraction of the sun's power would be enough?

EDIT: Also, keep in mind that being under the effect of bright light (especially with a prominent blue part of the spectrum, which coincidentally includes most white LEDs) at nighttime may disrupt your circadian rhythms. So if you end up proceeding with this, limit this kind of artificial irradiation to work hours if possible.
 
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LetThereBeLight!

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

You might need to see an Endocrinologist. Ask your Primary Care Doctor if that specialist could assist you.
 

eh4

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

Creating vitamin D is the only reason I'd ever go to a tanning bed.
I take the D3 supplements in the winter once I start feeling cold, low energy, and liable to get sick, quit taking it when short sleeves weather returns.

The idea of a UVb flashlight doesn't sound good to me either, with sunlight you pretty much know what you're getting, pretty much.
 

eh4

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

But then again, they're talking about only exposing your skin for 30 seconds, if the distance from the light, the time, and the intensity of the light at the emitter stayed calibrated, then you should be able to basically know what you're getting...
Kinda creepy, pretty neat through.
I wonder how long they've tested to see how skin holds up to sessions over time.
If 30 seconds of this light is less damaging than 20 min of sunlight then maybe it'll be a great help for the sunlight deprived.
 

iamlucky13

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

I am aware there are some uses of UV lights for treating some conditions, but which conditions, and what intensity and how long are fairly specific questions that are best suited for your doctor or a specialist. I'm assuming your vitamin D deficiency was diagnosed by a doctor? In that case, I think you should take your next opportunity to ask them about UV light therapy.

If they think UV-B therapy is a good course of action and can recommend an intensity level, perhaps we can help determine if a specific device meets their needs.

I do see from searching that there is some research supporting the idea that UV-B exposure can boost vitamin D levels in those who are deficient, but I don't know enough about it to say how much you should get, whether there may be other concerns, or even if that benefit still applies to people who get what should be sufficient levels via diet or supplements and plenty of sunlight.
 

bykfixer

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

Get out doors more.
Typically not mid day when the sun is harshest.

I work out doors and my doctor started telling me my vitamin D was too low. "Hows that you say doc?"... turns out slathering on suncreen often was blocking the process.
I just wait until about 9am or so to slather it on an arm I leave unprotected the first hour or so in the first couple hours of the day while the sun isn't as harsh.

No more low Vitamin D.
 

milehigher

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I see one of the foremost leading sleep pathologist in the country ,my sleep is horrible, he has seen me break the continous hours awake world record , of course i dont carry the title because no one wasvthere to certify it the official record is just over 241 hours before the guy keeled over dead .

Anyway I am hypothyroid as well , and use several high powered photon therapy devices one is built into my alarm clock , one is on my desk , and one is by my recliner , my doctor has pulled out all the stops with me after my last doctor nearly killed me .

There is very little science behind the blue LEDs ,but there is a boatload of positive science behind both fluorescent and LED photon therapy it improves your vital vitamin D3, helps relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder( SAD) ,and helps to regulate your sleep cycle and production of Melatonin a natural sleep hormone , big pharma has also come out recently with a hypnotic (sleeping pill) called Rozerem it's a cousin of melatonin I have a friend who takes it and it works great , I could eat a bottle and still nothing. Be selective about your lightbox there is a dearth of cheap crap thats little more than a fire hazzard out there ,and remember photon therapy will help your D3 and sleep if you use it in the morning , never use it after 12 noon it will cause an advancement in your sleep cycle that will put you out of synch with the rest of your life .if i can help in anyway post or PM me ,been doing this dance for nearly fifty years , my sleep pathologist says it's a honor for him to see him "everyone that comes thru the door has read the book on sleep disorders, but your one of the authors" basicly all the stuff they know about they know from lab rats like me who has lived it every day of my life .
 

ssanasisredna

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I see one of the foremost leading sleep pathologist in the country ,my sleep is horrible, he has seen me break the continous hours awake world record , of course i dont carry the title because no one wasvthere to certify it the official record is just over 241 hours before the guy keeled over dead .

Anyway I am hypothyroid as well , and use several high powered photon therapy devices one is built into my alarm clock , one is on my desk , and one is by my recliner , my doctor has pulled out all the stops with me after my last doctor nearly killed me .

There is very little science behind the blue LEDs ,but there is a boatload of positive science behind both fluorescent and LED photon therapy it improves your vital vitamin D3, helps relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder( SAD) ,and helps to regulate your sleep cycle and production of Melatonin a natural sleep hormone , big pharma has also come out recently with a hypnotic (sleeping pill) called Rozerem it's a cousin of melatonin I have a friend who takes it and it works great , I could eat a bottle and still nothing. Be selective about your lightbox there is a dearth of cheap crap thats little more than a fire hazzard out there ,and remember photon therapy will help your D3 and sleep if you use it in the morning , never use it after 12 noon it will cause an advancement in your sleep cycle that will put you out of synch with the rest of your life .if i can help in anyway post or PM me ,been doing this dance for nearly fifty years , my sleep pathologist says it's a honor for him to see him "everyone that comes thru the door has read the book on sleep disorders, but your one of the authors" basicly all the stuff they know about they know from lab rats like me who has lived it every day of my life .

Circadian Rhythm / Melatonin suppression is regulated by the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglian cells in the eye. Their response is from about 450nm to 520nm with the peak (radiant, not lumens) at 480-485nm. Blue LEDs will work for melatonin suppression and to circadian rhythm regulation which is also related to SAD.

Vitamin D production occurs from about 240nm to 300nm. There are several processes involved but the peak across all is close to 280nm. Above 300nm, one of the processes is not very reactive.

For sleep therapy, lights that emit in the blue/blue-green area can be effective. That is not going to stimulate vitamin-D. That requires UVB which you can get from fluorescent and with greater difficulty (and cost) LED. It is best to have dosage control (timer).
 

eh4

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?


I just read through both of those, and they sound like the regular seesaw research that is typical with eggs, butter, etc. The nutritional, preventative health fringe becomes Big Vitamin.
Too much of anything can't be good for you.
I notice that the first link mainly talks about increased falls and fractures, makes me wonder if the patients aren't going with the magic bullet theory and becoming too ambitious with their activities without ramping up slowly enough, or if the supplementation is making them want to dance around.
My experience has been that I can most often tell when I'm liable to get sick, if I'm liable then even without much contact with other people I'll seem to absorb whatever virus is available and come down with it. On the other hand when I'm feeling bullet proof it mostly bears out, spending time with someone with a cold or flu is a non issue.

For myself, if I feel cold all the time, have low energy, and my sinuses feel irritated, chances are that I'm going to get sick if anything comes into contact with a mucus membrane.
When I take D3, I take a lot of it for a few days, and then back off when I don't feel chilled and low energy. A lot for me is about 100 times the daily recommended, backing off means I keep taking about 10 times the daily recommended whenever I feel like it through the rest of the winter. Really scientific, but I go by how I feel.
Everything I've read recommends that people get their levels checked by bloodwork, and that while overdosing on the fat soluble D3 is a very serious matter that can damage heart and bones, that it is very difficult to accomplish, and they don't have many cases of it to study.
What I've read seemed to say that I'd have to maintain my mega dose for several months rather than the few days that I take it, in order to run much risk of doing harm.

If also heard that you can get a fatal dose of vitamin A from eating a single hearty meal of arctic sea mammal liver, seals and polar bear both iirc.
 

ssanasisredna

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Re: Vitamin D flashlights?

I notice that the first link mainly talks about increased falls and fractures, makes me wonder if the patients aren't going with the magic bullet theory and becoming too ambitious with their activities without ramping up slowly enough, or if the supplementation is making them want to dance around.

If it is the one I think you mean, it was double blind so your conclusion is not possible.


For myself, if I feel cold all the time, have low energy, and my sinuses feel irritated, chances are that I'm going to get sick if anything comes into contact with a mucus membrane.

Or you were sick already. Incubation periods can be 72 hours for the common cold, longer for other things. Lack of suitable rest does suppress the immune system as well of course.
 
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