You're standing in the supplement aisle, staring at a bottle of softgels, thinking about how much you hate the winter. It’s gray outside. Your joints ache. You feel like a battery that won’t hold a charge. Then you remember that one friend who swears by a five-minute "toasty" session once a week to keep the winter blues away. They claim they’re getting vitamin d from tanning bed sessions because, hey, it’s just like the sun, right?
Well, not exactly.
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The relationship between artificial tanning and your body's "sunshine vitamin" levels is a messy, controversial intersection of dermatology, endocrinology, and marketing. Most people think "UV is UV." It isn't. If you’re trying to fix a deficiency by hopping into a lay-down bed at the local salon, you might be getting a great tan while your Vitamin D levels stay exactly where they were: in the gutter.
The UVB vs. UVA Problem
Let’s get technical for a second, but keep it simple. Your skin makes Vitamin D3 when it’s hit by UVB radiation. Specifically, it reacts with a precursor called 7-dehydrocholesterol.
Here is the kicker. Most commercial tanning beds are designed for one thing: a fast, dark tan. To get that dark color quickly without burning the customer to a crisp, salons use bulbs that emit mostly UVA radiation. UVA penetrates deep. It browns the melanin you already have. It causes wrinkles and DNA damage. But it does virtually nothing for Vitamin D synthesis.
Dr. Edward Giovannucci, a researcher at Harvard, has pointed out in various studies that while the sun provides a healthy mix of both, many tanning beds are roughly 95% to 99% UVA. You're getting the "look" of health without the biological "fuel" of health.
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If you’re using a standard high-pressure bed, you are basically nuking your collagen for zero nutritional gain. Some specialized "Sperti" lamps or specific medical-grade phototherapy units used for psoriasis are rich in UVB, but those aren't what you’ll find at "Neon Beach Tanning" for twenty bucks a month.
Why Do People Feel Better Anyway?
It’s not all in your head.
There is a genuine "feel-good" factor associated with UV exposure. When your skin absorbs UV rays, it releases endorphins—the body's natural opioids. It’s why tanning can actually become addictive. A study published in the journal Cell by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School found that chronic UV exposure in mice led to increased plasma levels of beta-endorphins.
So, you feel "recharged." You feel warmer. You might even feel less depressed (briefly). But don't mistake that mood boost for a rising Vitamin D level. You're just getting a temporary chemical high while your skin cells scramble to repair the oxidative stress.
The Risks: A Fair Trade?
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) doesn't pull punches here. They officially state that no amount of UV tanning is "safe" for Vitamin D production. Why? Because the amount of UV required to trigger D synthesis in a tanning bed often exceeds the threshold for significant DNA damage.
Consider the numbers. The Skin Cancer Foundation notes that even one indoor tanning session before age 35 can increase your risk of melanoma by 75%.
Compare that to a Vitamin D supplement.
- A pill costs about five cents.
- It has zero risk of squamous cell carcinoma.
- It doesn't give you leathery neck skin by age 40.
Honestly, the math just doesn't add up for the bed.
Can Any Tanning Bed Actually Give You Vitamin D?
If we're being strictly factual, yes, some do. There are low-pressure beds that utilize bulbs with a higher UVB percentage (around 3% to 5%). In some studies, like those conducted by Dr. Michael Holick—a controversial figure in the Vitamin D world who has advocated for sensible sun exposure—participants using these specific UVB-emitting beds did show an increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels.
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But there is a catch.
In a salon environment, you rarely know the age of the bulbs. As bulbs age, their spectral output shifts. You might think you're getting a UVB-heavy session, but you’re actually just getting a face full of UVA. Plus, the dose is unregulated. Unlike a prescription from a doctor for narrowband UVB phototherapy—which is a legitimate medical treatment for certain conditions—a tanning bed is a blunt instrument.
The "Base Tan" Myth
"I'm just getting a base tan so I don't burn on vacation, and I'll get my Vitamin D then."
We've all heard it. It's a classic. But a base tan only provides an SPF of about 2 to 3. That’s essentially useless. Moreover, a tan is literally a physical sign of DNA damage. Your skin turns dark because it is trying to create a shield to prevent further damage. Ironically, the darker your tan gets, the harder it becomes for your skin to produce Vitamin D, as the melanin acts as a filter for the very UVB rays you need.
Better Ways to Fill the Tank
If you’re worried about your levels, especially in the winter or if you live above the 37th parallel, there are more efficient paths.
- Get a Blood Test: Don't guess. Ask for a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. If you’re below 30 ng/mL, you’re deficient.
- Targeted Supplementation: D3 (cholecalciferol) is better absorbed than D2. Take it with a meal containing fat, because it’s fat-soluble. If you take it on an empty stomach with a glass of water, you’re mostly wasting your money.
- Eat Your D: Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are some of the only natural food sources. Egg yolks and fortified milks help, but they usually aren't enough to fix a major slump.
- Sperti Lamps: If you absolutely insist on light therapy and can't do supplements, look into FDA-recognized UVB lamps designed specifically for Vitamin D production. They don't tan you; they trigger the chemical reaction you're after.
Real Talk on Indoor Tanning
Kinda wild how we've been sold the idea that a purple-lit box is a health wellness tool. It's mostly marketing. If your goal is to look bronzed for a wedding, that’s a choice you make knowing the skin risks. But if your goal is bone health, immune support, and fixing a deficiency, using vitamin d from tanning bed logic is like trying to hydrate by drinking salt water. It looks like what you need, but it actually makes the underlying problem worse.
Stick to the science. Save your skin the grief.
Actionable Steps for Better Vitamin D Levels
- Schedule a 25(OH)D blood test through your primary care doctor to establish your baseline.
- Invest in a high-quality Vitamin D3 supplement (typically 1,000–5,000 IU depending on your doctor's advice) and pair it with Vitamin K2 to ensure calcium is directed to your bones rather than your arteries.
- Prioritize mid-day natural sunlight for 10-15 minutes when the UV index is above 3, as this provides the necessary UVB without the concentrated intensity of artificial bulbs.
- Check your tanning salon's bulb specs if you absolutely must go; if they can't tell you the UVB/UVA ratio, assume it is 99% UVA and useless for Vitamin D.
- Increase intake of wild-caught fatty fish such as sockeye salmon, which contains significantly more Vitamin D than farmed varieties.