Tanning bed vitamin d

By using a tanning bed, vitamin D can also be manufactured by your body as it does by using the sun. In short, yes, both types of methods of tanning are effective.

However, if you were to ask method of tanning is the healthiest method of obtaining vitamin D, I would say that you should be careful of tanning beds. To be honest though, I think in general, one should be careful of tanning all together. The reason why I say this is because studies have shown over and over that actual tanning can put you at high risk to developing skin cancer. In order to get enough vitamin D in your body, you only need a maximum of 15 minutes of sun per day, with you being fully clothed.

To understand why tanning beds can also supply you with vitamin D, it is important that you realize that both tanning beds and the sun emit ultraviolet light rays. As a matter of fact, they emit two types. These are UVA and UVB. UVA rays have longer wavelengths, and therefore can penetrate much deeper into your skin. UVB rays seem to only penetrate the surface of your skin, and are the responsible ray for metabolizing Vitamin D.
 
Therefore, what makes the sun a safer method of getting vitamin D is not so much the types of rays that are used, but more so, the method you use in getting that tan. Think about it, if you only need 15 minutes of sun with clothes on, might you not be getting too much vitamin D with your clothes off and lying on a bed that has all of its rays concentrating on you alone. To take it one step further, the same really applies with tanning under normal sun. Tanning with no clothes on for periods far more than 15 minutes can in effect cause the exact opposite of the health benefits vitamin D is supposed to give you.