Sun Exposure: Beyond the Risks
Keywords:
sun, vitamin D, skin neoplasms, nitric oxideAbstract
Excessive solar exposure presents well-recognized risks and side effects, solar radiation being the most important environmental factor concerning skin cancer. In the last few years, several connections between solar exposure and prevention and/or treatment of several diseases have been discussed, with studies suggesting that regular solar exposure may be beneficial for conditions such as colorectal, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer; non-Hodgkin lymphoma; arterial hypertension; obesity; type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome; nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis; multiple sclerosis; Alzheimer disease; and several psychiatric disturbances. In most cases, UV radiation’s beneficial effects are mediated through vitamin D; however, studies show that in other instances other mediators are responsible for these associations, specifically nitric oxide. Moderation is therefore essential, as a strict strategy of total sun avoidance may be inadequate.
References
Gorman S, Lucas RM, Allen-Hall A, Fleurya N, Feelischc M. Ultraviolet radiation, vitamin D and the development of obesity, metabolic syndrome and type-2 diabetes. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2017;16(3):362-373.
van der Rhee HJ, de Vries E, Coebergh JW. Regular sun exposure benefits health. Med Hypotheses. 2016;97:34-37.
Weller RB. The health benefits of UV radiation exposure through vitamin D production or non-vitamin D pathways: blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2017;16(3):374-380.
van der Rhee HJ, de Vries E, Coomans C, van de Velde P, Coebergh JW. Sunlight: for better or for worse? A review of positive and negative effects of sun exposure. Cancer Research Frontiers. 2016;2(2):156-183. Available at: http://cancer-research-frontiers.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/CRF-2016-2-156.pdf.
Grant WB. Health benefits of solar UV-B radiation through the production of vitamin D: comment and response. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2003;2(12):1307-1308; discussion 1308-1310.
Lips P, van Schoor NM. The effect of vitamin D on bone and osteoporosis. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;25(4):585-591.
Caraba A, Crisan V, Romosan I, Mozos I, Murariu M. Vitamin D status, disease activity, and endothelial dysfunction in early rheumatoid arthritis patients. Dis Markers. 2017;2017:5241012.
Manoy P, Yuktanandana P, Tanavalee A, et al. Vitamin D supplementation improves quality of life and physical performance in osteoarthritis patients. Nutrients. 2017;9(8):799.
Liu D, Fernandez BO, Hamilton A, et al. UVA irradiation of human skin vasodilates arterial vasculature and lowers blood pressure independently of nitric oxide synthase. J Invest Dermatol. 2014;134(7):1839-1846.
Wright F, Weller RB. Risks and benefits of UV radiation in older people: more of a friend than a foe? Maturitas. 2015;81(4):425-431.
van der Rhee HJ, Coebergh JW, de Vries E. Is prevention of cancer by sun exposure more than just the effect of vitamin D? A systematic review of epidemiological studies. Eur J Cancer. 2013;49(6):1422-1436.
Mohr SB, Gorham ED, Kim J, Hofflich H, Garland CF. Meta-analysis of vitamin D sufficiency for improving survival of patients with breast cancer. Anticancer Res. 2014;34(3):1163-1166.
Hoel DG, Berwick M, de Gruijl FR, Holick MF. The risks and benefits of sun exposure 2016. Dermatoendocrinol. 2016;8(1):e1248325.
Earthman CP, Beckman LM, Masodkar K, Sibley SD. The link between obesity and low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations: considerations and implications. Int J Obes (Lond). 2012;36(3):387-396.
Vitezova A, Zillikens MC, van Herpt TT, et al. Vitamin D status and metabolic syndrome in the elderly: the Rotterdam Study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2015;172(3):327-335.
Littlejohns TJ, Henley WE, Lang IA, et al. Vitamin D and the risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2014;83(10):920-928.
Melrose S. Seasonal affective disorder: an overview of assessment and treatment approaches. Depress Res Treat. 2015;2015:178564.
Ou-Yang H, Jiang LI, Meyer K, et al. Sun protection by beach umbrella vs sunscreen with a high sun protection factor: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2017;153(3):304-308.
Published
Issue
Section
License
Dermatology Practical & Conceptual applies a Creative Commons Attribution License (CCAL) to all works we publish (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Authors retain the copyright for their published work.
