The Influence of Gender and Sunscreen on Vitamin D Levels
Location
Lions Eye Center
Document Type
Poster
Start Date
28-4-2025 12:00 PM
End Date
28-4-2025 1:30 PM
Description
Introduction: Vitamin D is essential for calcium and phosphate homeostasis. It can be synthesized in the skin upon exposure to UVB radiation or obtained through diet. Sunscreen blocks UVB radiation therefore influencing the amount of vitamin D the body synthesizes. Purpose: The study evaluates the effects of gender and sunscreen use on vitamin D levels. Methods: Data from the 2021-2023 NHANES demographics, questionnaire, and laboratory data was obtained and downloaded using SAS Universal Viewer, then transferred to Excel for analysis. Participants were grouped by sunscreen use (always, sometimes, never) and matched to vitamin D levels. Demographic data was sorted as female or male, then matched to vitamin D levels. An ANOVA test with post hoc analyses utilizing Tukey HSD was performed for sunscreen use vs vitamin D and gender vs vitamin D levels. A two way ANOVA with post hoc analysis using Tukey HSD analyzed if the combined effects of sunscreen and gender, on vitamin D differed from the sum of their individual effects. Results: Group differences were significant (F(2, 2469) = 103.9985, p = 3.2E-43. Post hoc comparisons with the Tukey HSD test showed the mean score for males (M = 61.80763, SD = 1.105524) vs females (M = 67.69215, SD = 1.250128) was significantly different. Post hoc comparisons using the Tukey HSD test indicated that the mean score for “never” (M = 57.106575, SD = 1.239572) was significantly different from “always” (M = 74.4184, SD= 1.815104) and “sometimes” (M = 69.29289, SD= 1.33571). Discussion: Those who “always” use sunscreen had the highest Vitamin D levels despite concerns that sunscreen may increase the risk of Vitamin D deficiency.
Recommended Citation
Lott, Lindsey, "The Influence of Gender and Sunscreen on Vitamin D Levels" (2025). School of Allied Health Professions Research Day. 14.
https://digitalscholar.lsuhsc.edu/ahrd/2025/posters/14
The Influence of Gender and Sunscreen on Vitamin D Levels
Lions Eye Center
Introduction: Vitamin D is essential for calcium and phosphate homeostasis. It can be synthesized in the skin upon exposure to UVB radiation or obtained through diet. Sunscreen blocks UVB radiation therefore influencing the amount of vitamin D the body synthesizes. Purpose: The study evaluates the effects of gender and sunscreen use on vitamin D levels. Methods: Data from the 2021-2023 NHANES demographics, questionnaire, and laboratory data was obtained and downloaded using SAS Universal Viewer, then transferred to Excel for analysis. Participants were grouped by sunscreen use (always, sometimes, never) and matched to vitamin D levels. Demographic data was sorted as female or male, then matched to vitamin D levels. An ANOVA test with post hoc analyses utilizing Tukey HSD was performed for sunscreen use vs vitamin D and gender vs vitamin D levels. A two way ANOVA with post hoc analysis using Tukey HSD analyzed if the combined effects of sunscreen and gender, on vitamin D differed from the sum of their individual effects. Results: Group differences were significant (F(2, 2469) = 103.9985, p = 3.2E-43. Post hoc comparisons with the Tukey HSD test showed the mean score for males (M = 61.80763, SD = 1.105524) vs females (M = 67.69215, SD = 1.250128) was significantly different. Post hoc comparisons using the Tukey HSD test indicated that the mean score for “never” (M = 57.106575, SD = 1.239572) was significantly different from “always” (M = 74.4184, SD= 1.815104) and “sometimes” (M = 69.29289, SD= 1.33571). Discussion: Those who “always” use sunscreen had the highest Vitamin D levels despite concerns that sunscreen may increase the risk of Vitamin D deficiency.