Melanin, the substance that so many people want to obtain, comes naturally to most of us. Our melanin gives us an advantage when it comes to hair, eye, and body color, along with much more.
Melanin serves as a natural sunscreen, so the higher the melanin levels, the more resistant you are to the UV rays from the sun. But there’s a catch.
Our exposure to sunlight allows our bodies to naturally produce vitamin D, a vitamin that’s crucial for bone strength, immune system support and so much more. However, because our melanin helps resist absorption from the sun, we can produce lower levels of the vitamin, which thus leads to problems.
While it’s estimated that 40 percent of Americans may be vitamin D deficient, our people are almost double that percentage. With this deficiency, we’re at risk for health-threatening conditions that could potentially put our existence into question.
It’s crucial that we ensure that we’re getting the right amount of daily vitamin D dosage. At the bare minimum, go outside more often to increase your exposure to sunlight because the sun is just as important to Black people as the planet we live on.