Vitamin D and sun exposure: what people who tan should know
"I need the sun for vitamin D" is one of the most common reasons people give for tanning. Here's what health authorities actually say.
How your body gets vitamin D
According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D fact sheet for consumers, your body makes vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun's UVB rays, and you can also get it from a few foods (such as fatty fish, and fortified milk and cereals) and from supplements. The same fact sheet notes that it's important to limit skin exposure to sunlight to lower the risk of skin cancer.
How much do you need?
The NIH fact sheet lists recommended amounts by age: for example 600 IU (15 mcg) a day for most people ages 1 to 70, and 800 IU (20 mcg) for adults over 70. Too much vitamin D from supplements can be harmful, so don't take large doses without talking to a doctor.
Tanning beds don't solve it
The American Academy of Dermatology: 10 surprising facts about indoor tanning explains that tanning bed bulbs emit mostly UVA light, while your body needs UVB to make vitamin D. Dermatologists recommend that healthy adults get vitamin D from their diet, including fortified foods, rather than from tanning.
What about a tan from tanning products?
A darker skin color, whether from UV or from products like melanotan, does not mean you have more vitamin D. If anything, more pigment means skin makes vitamin D less efficiently from the same sun exposure. And melanotan products sold online are unapproved and carry their own risks; see risks and safety.
A safer approach
- Eat foods with vitamin D and consider a supplement if your doctor recommends one.
- Ask your doctor about a blood test if you're concerned about low levels.
- Protect your skin: sunscreen and SPF and the UV Index.
Published October 25, 2026. Sources are linked in the text. See our Medical Disclaimer.