Vitamin D level in summer and winter related to measured UVR exposure and behavior

The influence of the summer UVR exposure on serum-25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in late summer and winter was investigated in an open study on 25 healthy, adult volunteers. The UVR exposure dose in standard erythema dose (SED) was monitored continuously during a summer season with personal, electronic wristwatch UVR dosimeters and sun exposure diaries. Constitutive and facultative skin pigmentation was measured in September. 25(OH)D was measured in September and February and was in mean 82 nmol/L +/- 25 (mean +/- SD) in September and 56 nmol/L +/- 19 (mean +/- SD) in February. The received cumulative UVR dose measured during a mean of 121 days was 156 SED +/- 159 (mean +/- SD). The following UVR exposure parameters correlated with 25(OH)D in September and February, respectively: (1) The cumulative UVR dose (r = 0.53; P < 0.01) and (r = 0.43; P = 0.03); (2) Mean daily hours with UVR measurements monitored by the dosimeter (r = 0.64, P = 0.001) and (r = 0.53; P = 0.007); (3) Days "with sun-exposed upper body" (r = 0.58, P = 0.003) and (r = 0.50; P = 0.01); (4) Facultative pigmentation (r = 0.47; P < 0.02) and (r = 0.7; P < 0.001); (5) Constitutive pigmentation (r = 0.06, n.s.) and (r = 0.43, P = 0.03). Neither days "sunbathing" nor days with "sunscreen applied" correlated with 25(OH)D. The fall in 25(OH)D during winter was dependent on the entry value.