Researchers of a new study found that exposing the skin to sunlight can reduce blood pressure, bringing down the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
High blood pressure is responsible for 30 percent of deaths caused due to cardiovascular diseases. Hence, researchers conducted a study to look into the means by which blood pressure can be reduced. The study was carried out by researchers from the Universities of Southampton and Edinburgh. They found that sunlight alters the level of nitric oxide (NO) in the blood and skin, which results in the reduction of blood pressure, according to a press statement.
"NO along with its breakdown products, known to be abundant in skin, is involved in the regulation of blood pressure," Martin Feelisch, Professor of Experimental Medicine and Integrative Biology at the University of Southampton said in the statement. "When exposed to sunlight, small amounts of NO are transferred from the skin to the circulation, lowering blood vessel tone; as blood pressure drops, so does the risk of heart attack and stroke."
During the study, 24 healthy individuals were exposed to ultraviolet (UVA) light from tanning lamps for two sessions of 20 minutes each. In one session, the volunteers were exposed to both the UVA rays and the heat of the lamps. In another, the UV rays were blocked so that only the heat of the lamps affected the skin.
Researchers found that UVA exposure "expands blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and alters NO metabolite levels in the circulation, without changing vitamin D levels," states the press release. Though experts often suggest avoiding too much sunlight to eliminate the risk of cancer, the researchers of this study claim that minimizing exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
"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," said Professor Feelisch. 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. Perhaps with the exception of bone health, the effects of oral vitamin D supplementation have been disappointing.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for healthy bones and is produced in the skin upon exposure to ultraviolet B rays from the sun. This nutrient helps bones absorb calcium, which is known to strengthen the bones. Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis and also protects the body from seasonal aliments like flu. Lack of Vitamin D in the body is known to affect the "innate immunity" of a person's body, which is the first line of defense against germs.
According to a research conducted by UC Irvine and Mayo Clinic researchers, vitamin D levels in Americans are highest in the month of August and lowest in the month of February.
