Have you ever used a "Vitamin D" artificial sunlight lamp?

I use one everyday at my desk from Nov. Thru May. I love it. I also have a cup of blues away tea daily. It works!

@judochop It gives you D, but none of the other bad stuff that causes lines and cancer? Or, is it the same as the sun?

I’ve never used one,but i do get outdoors everyday and take D as a supplement.I can’t say specifically if it has had an affect as I take different supplements.

We used them in Antarctica 30 years ago. It was mandatory for the “winter over” crew. Unless you get very little sun exposure or your diet is vitamin D deficient, it shouldn’t matter. Your body only needs a certain amount, more is just an excess that is flushed out.

@judochop – how long do you use it every day? And is it actually a UV lamp or just one that simulates UV rays?

@stranger_in_a_strange_land -most weekdays I don’t get any sun at all, not even through a window. And with the weather recently, I’m worried I won’t get any sun on weekends, either. I do tend to have seasonal depression, and I was wondering if the lamp might help. Was it helpful to you?

@LC_Beta I didn’t notice any change from using it, but it was used as a prophylactic measure (prevention) in that case. I’ve heard that these can be useful in treating Seasonal Affect Disorder, or seasonal depression. So it might have a double benefit for you.

@JLeslie @LC_Beta
The lamp does not give off any bad UV rays. It only contains Vit. D. It is super bright, has a built in ionizer and a dial timer. I think that it lasts for 30 minutes but I’m not sure. It does not get warm to the touch. I can take a picture of it if you’d like and show you which one I got.

@stranger_in_a_strange_land From the sun we don’t absorb more D than we need. D is a fat soluble vitamin, your body doesn;t just get rid of it, it is not like B and C that you eliminate quickly. America is VERY dificient in D. SPF blocks the absorption of D. The bllod test for D ranges something like 32–80 and I have been as low as 17. I have many friends on prescription D like me. We take 50,000 IU’s a week. Some people have said they see a big improvement in some health problems, some not.

@judochop Did you have your D tested? Has it gone up now that you are using the lamp?

Yes, I’d like to see a photo. Or just the name of your lamp so I can search for it (that might be easier). Thanks for your help!

@JLeslie
Yes, my chiropractor tests it when I go in for adjustments. Yes it has gone up. You can also get Vit. D drops that work as well.
@LC_Beta
I am going to grab a shower and then I will grab a photo of the lamp for you. It really is worth the money.

@JLeslie I stand corrected. Was trying to remember what I was told 30 years ago. I’m an engineer, not a biologist

@judochop I take perscription now, but the lamp interests me. Thank you.

@judochop – thanks very much!

YES and I would definitely recommend it to anyone suffering from the “winter blues” or the ever-so debilitating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I live in Canada so during the winter months it’s pretty dark in the early morning and the sun sets ‘round mid-afternoon. If I lack sunlight (or the right artificial light) for too long, my mind can get pretty foggy and I also feel down in the dumps. A few consecutive days is all I needed to get back on track. I combine the use of the lamp with natural sunlight and a good diet.

According to much research, the artificial sunlight lamp is best used as soon as you wake up in the morning. The positive effect on mood and alertness is often dependent on the amount of lux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lux), the distance from the lamp and the amount of time spent near the lamp. The more lux the less time you need to leave the good ol’ lamp on.

I use a 5000 lux light, which simulates UV rays; am usually less than 2 feet away from it and use it for about 45–60 minutes a day. I do this during the week, before work, when sunlight is scarce in the early morning.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

@judochop Blues Away tea, eh? I’m going to look that up. Thanks for mentioning it!