Study aims to find best sun exposure
Wednesday August 15th, 2012
British researchers are setting out to establish exactly how much sunlight people need for maximum health, it was announced today.
The research,
based in Salford, Manchester, aims to establish how much sun individuals
need to get a health amount of vitamin D - which is generated by exposure
to sunlight.
Vitamin D shortages have been linked to a range of conditions including multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis.
And current public health advice encourages Britons to stay out of the sun to avoid skin cancer - but critics say this is dangerously lowering vitamin D levels.
Researchers will use laboratory conditions to examine the effect of artificial sunlight on some 75 healthy volunteers under the age of 45.
The researchers will then seek to analyse samples for levels of vitamin D and for damage to DNA, indicating cancer risk.
Researcher Professor Lesley Rhodes, of Manchester University, said: “There’s no doubt that too much sun can seriously increase skin cancer risk, but we know there are also important benefits to going out in the sun, such as making enough vitamin D.
"This study is about finding that balance, so we can offer people of all skin colours the best possible advice about how much sun is safe for them.”
Sara Hiom, of Cancer Research UK, which is backing the research, said: “Sun is a really important source of vitamin D, but the amount of sun needed varies from person to person. We know that people with paler skin make vitamin D faster, but burn more easily, than those with darker skin, but it’s still not completely clear where the balance lies in terms of getting enough vitamin D, without excessively increasing skin cancer risk.
"In the meantime, continue enjoying the sun, but remember that the amount of time you need to spend in it to make enough vitamin D is always less than would make your skin redden. The best way to protect your skin from sunburn is to use shade, clothing and at least factor 15 sunscreen applied generously and regularly.”
Tags: Cancer | General Health | UK News
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