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Vitamin D in Australia: how much sun you need, and signs you're low

The UV is climbing and the sunscreen is back by the front door. Which raises a fair question: if you're covering up, are you still getting enough vitamin D? And if you've been feeling flat lately, could low vitamin D be part of it?

Here is how vitamin D works, how much sun you need across Australia through the year, signs you might be running low, where food and supplements fit in, and how the Thrive Health Band and the Thrive by Optihealth app can keep your results, supplements and everyday patterns together.

What does vitamin D do?

Vitamin D helps control the calcium in your blood and is needed for strong bones, muscles and overall health, according to the Better Health Channel.

Your skin makes vitamin D when it's exposed to UVB from sunlight, and that's the best natural source. Food adds a little, but only about 5 to 10 per cent of what you need, so it's hard to get enough from diet alone.

How much sun do you need for vitamin D?

In Australia, the answer is usually "less than you'd think". Cancer Council Australia says that when the UV Index is 3 or above, as it is right across the country in summer, a few minutes outdoors on most days of the week is generally enough to keep vitamin D at a healthy level. Everyday time outside, like the walk to the car or hanging out the washing, counts.

How much you need depends on a few things, according to healthdirect:

  • where you are in Australia (UV is higher in the north)
  • the season and the time of day
  • your skin type, because naturally darker skin needs more UV to make the same amount
  • how much skin is uncovered

As a rough seasonal picture:

  • Summer, everywhere: UV is 3 or above for much of the day. A few minutes outside on most days is plenty, and sun protection comes first.
  • Late autumn and winter in some southern parts of Australia: when the UV Index drops below 3, Cancer Council suggests spending time outside around the middle of the day with some skin uncovered. Being active outdoors, like gardening or a brisk walk, helps too.
  • Northern Australia: UV can be 3 or above all year round, so sun protection is needed whenever it is. Early morning and late afternoon are usually when UV dips below 3.

Check your local sun protection times on Cancer Council's free SunSmart app or the Bureau of Meteorology website.

Does sunscreen stop you making vitamin D?

Not in a way that matters. Cancer Council notes that sunscreen use has minimal impact on vitamin D levels over time.

More sun isn't better, either. The Better Health Channel explains that your body can only absorb a limited amount of vitamin D at a time, so extra time in the sun adds skin damage, not vitamin D.

Signs you might be low in vitamin D

Often, there aren't any. Healthdirect says low vitamin D usually has no symptoms, although some people notice mild bone pain, muscle weakness or tiredness. Over the long term, low levels can affect bone density, which is why it's worth getting right.

Tiredness has many possible causes, so don't guess. A blood test through your GP is the way to know your level.

You may be more likely to run low if you:

  • spend most of your time indoors, including night shift workers
  • cover most of your skin, for work or for cultural or religious reasons
  • have naturally very dark skin
  • avoid the sun because of past skin cancer or sensitive skin
  • are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • have a condition or take a medicine that affects how your body absorbs vitamin D

Food and supplements

Food sources include fatty fish such as salmon, eggs, and margarine, some milks and some cereals with added vitamin D. They help, but rarely cover what you need on their own.

Supplements have a place, but they aren't for everyone. Healthdirect advises checking the right amount with your doctor before you start, and notes that some people shouldn't take vitamin D supplements at all. If your GP does suggest one, take it exactly as directed.

Where Thrive fits in

To be clear: the Thrive Health Band doesn't measure vitamin D. Only a blood test can tell you your level. What Thrive does is keep the pieces together, right across your health, so you and your GP see the bigger picture.

  • Keep your results in one place. On Upload Records, take a photo of your pathology report or add a PDF, and file it under Lab Results with the lab and the date. For photos, Thrive can read the report and fill in the lab values it finds, ready for you to check before you save. There's more in our article on keeping blood test results in one place.
  • Log your supplement. In Medications & Supplements, add vitamin D as a supplement with the dosage, how often you take it and the date you started. If you stop, you can mark it as no longer taking.
  • Notice how you feel. Your Daily Check-In lets you rate your energy and mood and tag things like Walking or Supplements. If tiredness is what got you wondering about vitamin D, you can log it as a symptom too.
  • Wear it day and night. The Band has no screen and up to 14 days of battery, and it tracks your sleep, heart rate, HRV, temperature and activity. Over time, Thrive learns what's usual for you, from sleep and heart to mood, energy, meals, medications and more.

Then you can ask Ask Thrive things like:

  • "Can you list my latest blood test results?"
  • "Has my energy changed since I started my vitamin D supplement?"
  • "How many days did I go for a walk this month?"

Getting outside more? Try a morning sunlight walk.

When to talk to your GP

See your GP if you're worried about your vitamin D, if you fit one of the groups above, or if you think you may be low and you're planning a pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding. It's also worth booking in if tiredness, muscle weakness or aches hang around.

Your GP may suggest a blood test. Thrive keeps your earlier results, your supplements and your energy trends in one place, Ask Thrive can help you pull together what changed and when, and you can show your Thrive trends to your GP.

Before you buy

Thrive Health Band: A$589 for the first year (Band plus 12 months of the Thrive plan), paid upfront.

Free Australia-wide shipping (usually A$14.99). No automatic renewal.

At renewal: a new band plus 12 more months for A$589.

Or keep your band and renew the plan for A$240 a year.

Or A$29 a month with no lock-in.

One size, IP68, up to 14 days battery, 12-month warranty, not a medical device, no Apple Health sync. The app is Thrive by Optihealth on iPhone and Android.

See today's price and buy at thrivehealthband.com/get.

Consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.

Common questions

Should I take vitamin D just in case?

Check first. Healthdirect advises talking to your doctor about the right amount before taking a supplement, and some people shouldn't take one. Your GP or pharmacist can tell you whether it suits you.

Do I need more sun in winter?

In southern Australia, often yes. When the UV Index is below 3, Cancer Council suggests time outdoors in the middle of the day with some skin uncovered. In the north, UV is often 3 or above all year.

Does wearing sunscreen cause low vitamin D?

Cancer Council says studies show minimal impact over time. Keep using it whenever the UV Index is 3 or above.

For more answers, see Questions.