Get out in the sunshine

Tans were a symbol of good health in the 70s and 80s, but concerns about premature aging and skin cancer made many shun the sun.

Now, some scientists say that sunshine radiates beneficial vitamin D, which deters osteoporosis and even the most dreaded form of skin cancer, the melanoma.

Even the advised sun block is found to block out vitamin D along with damaging Ultra Violet (UV) rays. Vitamin D is also found to ease depression.

The sun, it seems, is a healthy and much needed part of life, but at what cost? Sun exposure helps resist the cancer getting worse but is found to cause skin cancer in the first place.

Knowing the limits and benefits of sunshine can be confusing, but as we breakdown to positive and negative attributes of sun exposure, all will become clear.

The importance of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for good health that comes in its largest quantities from the sun. Some foods have been fortified with the vitamin, such as milk, but a US study proved that only 30 per cent of the samples tested contained a sufficient recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin D.

Diseases such as rickets, osteoporosis and osteomalacia are kept at bay with a healthy dose of sunshine-induced vitamin D. However, with a lifespan of only one week, vitamin D must be topped up regularly. But even when using sunscreen has been found to hinder vitamin D production, it must still be safely maintained.

The low light levels of winter can cause seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a prolonged psychological state much like depression. Symptoms are often a poor appetite, considerable weight loss or vice versa, insomnia, agitation or inertia or feelings of worthlessness, guilt and indecisiveness.

SAD can only be relieved by sunlight (via vitamin D) as the sun can raise serotonin levels– the body’s natural happiness chemical. Regular indoor light does not produce the same effect as it does not supply vitamin D.

Vitamin D from the sun’s rays is also essential in building strong bones and teeth. Research also suggests that low vitamin D levels could potentially increase type 1 diabetes, muscle and bone pain.

Women may find that sunshine can relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which include stomach bloating and cramping, breast tenderness, fluid retention, headaches, mood swings and appetite shifts.

The sun can treat a skin condition called psoriasis too. Psoriasis causes bright red and dry marks on the skin. It is a chronic condition and very difficult to medicate but the UV portion of sunshine is quite a successful treatment for the appearance and discomfort of the condition.

Inhabitants of regions with substantial year-round sunshine are found to have a lower occurrence of ovarian, breast and colon cancers. As the opposite is true for sunlight deprived areas, therefore, sunshine may be a factor in deterring cancer.

Further studies of workers with outdoor occupations are reported to have a lower incidence of melanoma.  It was also found that melanoma rarely occurs in the areas that receive regular sun – however, this was only true in cases of moderate sun exposure in skin types that are able to develop a tan.

Melanoma and vitamin D

The double-edged sword of lowering the risk of cancer is in sunshine. The confusing fact is that studies have shown that malignant melanoma is retarded by sun exposure.

One study by scientists at the University of New Mexico was a population-based, case-control trial on over 500 patients diagnosed with melanoma in the 1980s.

The team reported the sun’s effect on skin cancer by noting sunburn, high intermittent and solar elastosis (a degenerative change in elastic tissue in the skin) as measurements for sun exposure. It was found that the sun, particularly vitamin D, had an adverse affect – melanoma patients with high levels of sun exposure were less like to suffer a fatal melanoma.

Vitamin D has also been tested for inhibiting other cancers, such as ovarian and breast cancer as well as non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 

A British Medical Journal article by Dr Michael Holick from Boston University School of Medicine also claimed that the sun’s benefits were due to vitamin D. He claimed that moderate sunshine exposure helped deter many debilitating and fatal diseases, such as osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, depression and colon, prostate and breast cancers.

The dark side of the sun

Dermatologists would argue, however, that more research must be done before advising people to seek more sunlight exposure – the sun still carries risks.

The American Cancer Society says that skin cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers and accounts for nearly half of cases in the United States. Over a million cases of non melanoma skin cancer is diagnosed every year (over 700,000 in the UK) verifying that sun damage is a very real issue.

Only five to 15 minutes of sun, some experts say, is adequate three times a week. Fifteen minutes would be enough to reap the benefits of vitamin D without the added disadvantage of skin damage. Vitamin D can also be sourced from fortified milk and certain kinds of fish.

Some dermatologists disagree with sun-chasing for vitamin D altogether. As Dr. Cheryl Rosen, national director of the Canadian Dermatology Association's National Sun Awareness Program says: ““People are hearing many different recommendations, some of which can be misleading.

“These include claims by the tanning industry that the use of sun beds promotes vitamin D production in the skin.

"The sun exposure that Canadians receive during their day-to-day activities is generally adequate to maintain vitamin D levels in the spring, summer and fall. If someone is very careful about sun exposure and concerned their vitamin D levels might be low, supplements from food or vitamin pills are excellent ways to obtain enough vitamin D," she adds.

New York University dermatologist Darrel Rigel told WebMD of the importance of sunscreen to shield yourself from UV rays: “Your sunscreen must have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher with broad-spectrum protection against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB).”

Broad-spectrum includes ingredients such as include benzophenones (oxybenzone), cinnamates (octylmethyl cinnamate and cinoxate), sulisobenzone, salicylates, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and avobenzone (Parsol 1789). All compnents of a sunscreen should be detailed on the back label.
Looking at the effects of UV rays.

Some studies have linked UV rays in a similar light to the benefits of vitamin D, but the damaging effects of the rays are noticeable before your very eyes in the difference between the unclothed areas of skin and the covered parts.

For example, the skin constantly hidden away from the sun is softer, smoother and certainly not tanned. The uncovered areas, depending on your age, may have signs of aging – wrinkles, broken blood vessels and sun spots.

UV rays are the major culprit causing wrinkles – unexposed skin can remain wrinkle free well into your seventies.

There are three types of harmful UV light – UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVA occurs most often in sunlight and can infiltrate through windows and water – they do not cause sunburn or have any top layer effect to the skin, but create the most harm below the surface damaging collagen and elastin.

UVB rays are the greatest contributors to skin cancer, but its effects are mostly noticeable as sunburns or other surface damage, such as sunspots.

UVC are the least harmful of the three types of UV rays as they are blocked out by the ozone layer.

The final word

Most sun damage is done before you reach the age of 20, but its damage does not tend to appear until your thirties and forties when skin collagen breaks down and wrinkles become more prevalent.

Further sun protection should be still be applied after the age of 20, however, as any further damage past your twenties may result in skin cancer.

The sun is reported to cause 90 per cent of all skin cancers but at the end of the day, what you do to protect yourself from it, is up to you.

Experts still advise sunscreen, hats, t-shirts and staying indoors when the sun is at its most extreme – between 11am and 3pm.

Although the jury is still out on the sun’s benefits, it is probably wise to exercise moderation, not to chase the sun, but allow it to provide vitamin D as it occurs in everyday life. And in cases of extreme sunshine – don’t forget to cover up.

Further reading

The Skin Cancer Foundation
Sun smart information with Cancer Research UK
Skin Cancer facts

You’ve read it. Now review it.