Sunbathing can make people feel good and can boost vitamin levels – and now researchers say it can have a direct impact on reducing blood pressure.
British researchers have found that sunlight affects levels of the gas nitric oxide in the skin and blood – with the effect of reducing blood pressure.
The findings come as a separate study in Austria suggested the "sunshine vitamin" D also improves the health of the circulation.
They will lead to fresh debate about the right balance between exposure to sunshine and avoiding it to prevent skin cancer.
The researchers at Southampton and Edinburgh universities, UK, found that sunshine leads to small amounts of nitric oxide moving from the skin to the circulation, leading to greater flexibility of the blood vessels.
The findings, reported in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, involved a study of 24 healthy people who were exposed to tanning lamps for 20 minutes each.
Researcher Professor Martin Feelisch, of Southampton University, said: "These results are significant to the ongoing debate about potential health benefits of sunlight and the role of Vitamin D in this process. It may be an opportune time to reassess the risks and benefits of sunlight for human health and to take a fresh look at current public health advice.
"Avoiding excess sunlight exposure is critical to prevent skin cancer, but not being exposed to it at all, out of fear or as a result of a certain lifestyle, could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease."
Meanwhile researchers at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria, reported that vitamin D directly affected the elasticity of blood vessels.
They have reported their findings, based on a study of genetically altered mice, in the journal Molecular Endocrinology.
Researcher Dr Svetlana Slavic said: "Stiffness of the blood vessels generally increases with age. Blood pressure amplitude thus tends to increase with age and leads to structural changes in the aorta.
"Elasticity deteriorates, and prolonged vitamin D deficiency can accelerate this process."
Journal of Investigative Dermatology 20 January 2014
Vitamin D Is a Regulator of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase and Arterial Stiffness in Mice. Molecular Endocrinology 1 January 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/me.2013-1252
Leave a Reply