The Health Benefits of Sun Exposure Brussels 06.06pr.euractiv.com/files/pr/ESA Press Release...
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EuropeanSunlightAssociationa.s.b.l.SquareAmbiorix13,B-1000Brussels,BrusselsOffice:+3223005932
MediaContact:[email protected]:www.europeansunlight.eu
TheHealthBenefitsofSunExposure
Brussels 06.06.2018 - As the temperatures are rising and summer is approaching in Europe,dermatologistsandotherdoctorswarnaboutthedangerouseffectsofUVradiation.Whileexcessiveexposurecan indeedbedetrimental, these recommendationsoften include total sunavoidanceorexaggeratedprotectivemeasuresandcompletelyignorethenumeroushealthbenefitsofsunlight.
Vitamin D plays an essential role in human health (1), especially in bone health by preventingosteoporosis, in the prevention of a number of cancers such as prostate, pancreatic and breastcancerandautoimmunediseaseslikemultiplesclerosisanddiabetes(2).Dependingonthelatitude,themonthoftheyear,thetimeandtheskintype,amongothers,10-15minutesinthesunperdaywithoutburning your skin are enough to reach sufficientVitaminD levels.Asonly few foods (e.g.salmon, egg yolk) contain a small amount of Vitamin D, the best possibility to get this valuablenutrientinthewintermonthsistotakesupplementsortousesunbeds.ArecentstudyprovedthatresponsibleandsafeuseindoortanningisabletoraiseVitaminDlevelsinhealthyvolunteers(3).
Additionally, exposure to sunlight has many other positive effects, e.g. the production of beta-endorphin,whichisresponsibleforanimprovedmoodandwell-being.Anothermainhealthbenefitisthereleaseofnitricoxideintheskin,causingdilationofbloodvesselsandtherebyreducingbloodpressure(4).
The most common skin cancer, non-melanoma skin cancer, can be caused by chronic excessiveexposure to sunlight.But theseare lesions,not lethalandareeasy to treatandoftencuredwhendetectedearly.Melanoma,themostdeadlyskincancer,ontheotherhandoccurspredominantlyontheleastsun-exposedareasofthebodyandthereisevidencethatregularandhabitualsunexposurepreventsthedevelopmentofthismalignantcancerratherthancausingit(5).
«Ingeneral,moreawarenessisneeded,especiallyinexploringtherightrisk-benefit-ratioinordertoensure optimal health», commented Frank Harbusch, Secretary General of the European SunlightAssociation.
Aseverything in life:Moderationisthekey!Protectivemeasures inordertopreventsunburnsareneededwhenalongerstayinthesunisplanned.Embracethesunresponsibly.
TheEuropeanSunlightAssociation(ESA)ispromotingsafe,controlledandinformeduseofsunbedsincompliancewithEUlegislation.Toensureconsumersafety,ESAisworkinghandinhandwiththeEU and Member State national authorities towards the implementation and enforcement ofmandatorystandardsacrossEurope.
(1) Holick(2016),BiologicalEffectsofSunlight,UltravioletRadiation,VisibleLight,InfraredRadiationandVitaminDforHealth(2) Weietal.(2018),VitaminDSwitchesBAFComplexestoprotectß-Cells(3) Kimball etal. (2017), SunbedswithUVB radiation canproducephysiological levelsof serum25-HydroxyvitaminD inhealthy
volunteers(4) Weller(2016),SunlightHasCardiovascularBenefitsIndependentlyofVitaminD.(5) Merriletal.(2015)ExponentiallyincreasingincidencesofcutaneousmalignantmelanomainEuropecorrelatewithlowpersonal
annualUVdosesandsuggests2majorriskfactors