Vitamin D: The Essential Supplement

The Evolutionary Case for Vitamin D

While the sun’s rays may not be quite as important to animals as it is to plants, we can see that the sun still plays a major role in our health. The synthesis of vitamin D is one of the earliest systems found in the study of evolution. As animals emerged from the ocean and became land animals vitamin D played a critical role in mineral absorption that allowed skeletons to form. Our skin uses the sun’s rays to complete a chemical reaction that forms vitamin D, which is then distributed throughout our body.

Our hunter-gatherer ancestors developed dark skin because of near constant exposure to the sun. The dark pigment was an adaptation to protect us from burns and overproduction of vitamin D. As some tribes migrated north in search of food their skin became lighter in response to the weakened sun rays, which are less suited for vitamin D synthesis.

Regardless of the latitude, humans continued to be exposed to the sun over long periods of time each day as our society transitioned to agricultural food production. Being outdoors was necessary for survival. It was not until the recent industrial revolution that humans were sheltered from the sun during the majority of the day.  

Most people now sit protected from the sun at work and exercise inside. When we go outside most people remain covered or use sun block because of warnings from the medical community. The constant sheltering from the sun takes a major toll on our health.

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