While chocolate- or caramel-hued skin may be gorgeous and enviable, it may also put African Americans and people of other ethnicities at risk for vitamin D deficiency.
Moreover, in a study that was conducted by the University of South Carolina, it was found that a low blood level of the vitamin was associated with aggressive breast cancer.
"We know that darker skin pigmentation acts somewhat as a block to producing vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, which is the primary source of vitamin D in most people," said lead author Susan Steck, Ph.D., M.P.H.
In a clinical trial of 107 women of varied races with breast cancer, it was found that African American women had, on average, about 30 percent lower levels of vitamin D than their Caucasian counterparts. Those who were most deficient in the nutrient were about eight times more likely to have a more aggressive form of breast cancer.
These findings do not suggest that African Americans should skip the sunscreen, but instead that they may want to incorporate a vitamin D supplement into their skin care and health regimen.
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