Regenerative Health with Max Gulhane, MD cover image

Regenerative Health with Max Gulhane, MD

76. Key Role of Vitamin D & Sunlight in Health | Michael Holick, MD, PhD

Jul 31, 2024
Michael Holick, MD, PhD, an endocrinologist and leading Vitamin D researcher, dives deep into the vital role of Vitamin D in human health. He discusses its evolutionary significance and how sunlight exposure is essential for its production. The podcast tackles fascinating insights into the relationship between Vitamin D and skin cancer, emphasizing that balanced sun exposure may actually reduce cancer risks. Holick also critiques modern health guidelines, shedding light on the importance of proper supplementation and ancestral approaches to Vitamin D.
01:40:22

Episode guests

Michael Holick

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Vitamin D, produced through sunlight exposure, has played a crucial evolutionary role, influencing vertebrate adaptations to land environments.
  • Deficiencies in vitamin D can lead to severe bone disorders, emphasizing its importance in calcium absorption and overall bone health.

Deep dives

The Evolutionary Importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D plays a crucial role in human evolution and physiology, primarily because it is produced in the skin through sunlight exposure. The significance of this mechanism dates back over half a billion years, with evidence showing that even ancient phytoplankton produced vitamin D. This suggests that vitamin D likely acted as a natural sunscreen and might have influenced the evolution of vertebrates, providing necessary adaptations as they transitioned from ocean environments to land. The necessity for vitamin D in calcium absorption became critical as these early vertebrates adapted to life on land, where dietary calcium was more limited compared to the oceans.

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