Summary
In this Cabral House Call episode, Dr. Stephen Cabral answers listener questions on a range of health topics. A listener named Karen asks for his follow-up review of the Sperti vitamin D lamp, and Cabral shares that he used it for a couple of weeks and found it super easy to use, requiring only five minutes. Although he was unable to complete a full before-and-after blood test because he traveled south during winter, he reports that additional research confirms people are successfully raising their vitamin D levels with the lamp. He suggests it as an alternative to supplementation, especially for those in northern climates who cannot get adequate sun exposure from roughly October through April.
Key Points
- Cabral confirms the Sperti lamp is easy to use and requires only five minutes per session, similar in size to a red light therapy panel
- He was unable to complete his personal before-and-after blood work because he traveled south during winter testing
- Additional research confirms people are raising their vitamin D levels through the Sperti lamp
- In northern latitudes like Boston, natural vitamin D from sunlight is realistically only available June through September
- The Sperti lamp can be used simultaneously with a red light therapy panel for time efficiency
- He recommends testing vitamin D levels before and after a month of lamp use to verify personal effectiveness
Key Moments
Follow-up review of the Sperti vitamin D lamp
Cabral shares his experience using the Sperti lamp, confirming it was easy to use at five minutes per session, and notes that additional research shows people are successfully raising vitamin D levels with the device.
"I used it for a couple of weeks. Thought the product was great. It's literally five minutes. It's super easy to use. You're not using it as like a tanning lamp. The goal is not to get a tan from it. We're not in a tanning booth. We're not saying that. What it is is to naturally increase your vitamin D levels."
Sperti lamp confirmed by research to raise vitamin D
Cabral explains that while he could not complete his own blood test, published research confirms the Sperti lamp raises vitamin D levels, and he suggests pairing it with red light therapy for convenience.
"I can say from others that it has worked and it was a super easy product to use. It's a small little, it's almost like a red light lamp. You could do it at the same time as your red light therapy. Honestly, you could use both at the same time if you wanted to."
Northern latitudes make vitamin D lamp essential in winter
Cabral explains that in cities like Boston, natural vitamin D from the sun is only realistically available from June through September, making the vitamin D lamp a practical alternative during winter months.
"During the wintertime, you can't get vitamin D from the sun. You're not getting vitamin D from the sun really, except for, well, I mean, if we're really being honest, June through September. Because the sun just isn't strong enough in May to get a tan in Boston."
