‘UAE women need 30 minutes of sun a week’

ABU DHABI // Women need to soak up about 30 minutes of sun a week to ensure they receive enough vitamin D and not rely on supplements, experts said.

“Having supplements is not the answer,” Dr Human Fatemi, medical director at Nova IVI Fertility Clinic, said at the Bright Start Conference in Abu Dhabi.

“If the sun shines on your skin, the cholesterol is converted to various factors before being converted into Vitamin D.

“In the case of a supplement, you do not get the precursor. They just mask your problem.”

Parents should also get their children’s vitamin D levels checked, said Dr Shamsa Al Awar, chairwoman of obstetrics and gynaecology at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at UAE University in Al Ain. Dr Al Awar said checks were also important for couples wanting to conceive.

“If you have a low Vitamin D levels, it means you will have a lower number of eggs,” she said.

Skin colour can make a difference to the amount of vitamin D extracted from the sun. Those with fair skin can obtain enough vitamin D in about 15 minutes of exposure, those with darker skin in 20 to 25 minutes, while those with very dark skin will need longer.