Tanning -VitaminD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
suggested as a cancer risk reduction factor by Cedric and his brother Frank Garland, and a colleague Frank Gorham in 1980," says Gary. "They were the first to provide epidemiological evidence that vitamin D deficiency is involved in numerous cancers. They noted that the latidinal increases in colon cancer mortality rates in the U.S. was inversely correlated with annual sunshine doses and suggested the vitamin D was the active agent."
Dr Peter Selby, a lecturer in medicine at Manchester Royal Infirmary, UK, also adds: "Reducing exposure to solar radiation, far from preventing cancer, may have the opposite effect." According to Dr Selby, a 10% decrease in exposure to sunlight would not greatly reduce skin cancer, but could lead to a 6% increase in other cancers. These extra deaths would exceed deaths from skin cancer put together.
A recent study by the University of Kansas has also linked low levels of vitamin D with higher rates of heart disease and early death. The study, which was published in the American Journal of Cardiology, looked at more than 10,000 patients and found that 70% were vitamin D deficient and that those with a deficiency in the vitamin were at a significantly higher risk of many forms of heart disease.
Creating vitamin D
It's well known that the easiest way to create vitamin D in the body is through sunshine, which is why it is often known as the 'sunshine vitamin'. "Exposure to UVB, present in sunshine, is the body's natural way of producing vitamin D, in fact 90% is formed this way," says Gary. "Our bodies have a huge capacity to produce vitamin D. For example, with just 1 MED of UVB, our bodies can create 10,000 to 25,000 IU of vitamin D."
Results of a recent study have discovered that 59% of subjects had too little vitamin D in their body, which has lead experts to claim that responsible sunbed use could also provide the answer. "Vitamin D is linked to a legion of health benefits, including reduced rates of internal cancers, diabetes and arthritis. But if we can't get our vitamin D from the sun, effects of UV exposure from a commercially available sunbed can increase human vitamin D levels. Modest exposure to UV from sunbeds
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may be the solution to our vitamin D deficit and have a positive impact on our health," says Oonagh.
Virginie Claire agrees that vitamin D from the sun is vital: "It is of course the sunshine vitamin and is obtained best and utilised most efficiently by the body when it comes directly from the sun as UVB is precursor of vitamin D.
"Within Ireland, most of the population receive next to none between September and March because our climate turns cold and daylight hours are short, with people generally indoors most of the time. Illness and poor immunity is most evident come February when many people suffer from colds and flu and this is due to a long Winter with a poor vitamin D count within the system.
"When Spring and Summer come around, nutritionists advise 20-minutes in the sunshine at peak hours with no sunblock on to gain sufficient production for the body. Dermatologists go against this however!"
However, what Virginie doesn't believe in is the use of tanning beds as a substitute to generate vitamin D. She says: "In no way are sunbeds useful for vitamin D production as they contain zero UVB, only UVA which serves to prematurely age the skin. UVB is needed for [vitamin D] production, so careful time in the sun is advised for everyone, as a little sun will always get through to the skin to produce the necessary components. Natural sun products using zinc and titanium thoroughly protect from UVA and UVB immediately after application so this is the safest way to expose the skin to the sun."
The skin
When it comes to using the sun and the sunbed as a method of generating vitamin D of course there will be mixed views; the view of a Dermatologist and skin specialists differ to those advocating the use of sunbeds.
"As the top cause of premature skin ageing, sun damage shows on the skin in the form of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, and can lead to a repressed immune system and the potential for skin cancer," says Sally Penford, Education Manager for the International Dermal Institute. "Even if exposure is limited to brief outdoor lunches or a 20-minute walk or a weekly
10-minute sunbed session; cumulative exposure is enough to cause the signs of skin ageing cancer.
"The first line of daily defence against sun damage is daily use of SPF. Even on cloudy or overcast days, UV light can strike skin and cause damage, so simply wearing sunscreen on sunny days isn't enough."
Dr Des Fernandes also believes that exposure to the sun should be controlled and that an effective sun protection needs to be balanced with the right amount of exposure. "You need UVB to make natural vitamin D, which is very important for your health, but you should not expose your skin for too long because then you will destroy the natural vitamin D that you have manufactured!"
Ain't no sunshine
When the sun isn't shining, Virginie recommends eating greens and red meats as a direct way of sourcing the vitamin. Sally also says: "Recently I started buying mushrooms exposed to UV, making them a vitamin D powerhouse."
However, research has suggested that food alone isn't enough to create the amount of vitamin D that we need and Lorraine recommends that people at risk of vitamin D deficiency should also take a vitamin D supplement.
When it comes to vitamin D and tanning, it seems that the consensus lies in getting the balance just right between getting enough exposure to the UV rays, whether that be through the sun or sunbed, but protecting the skin enough to keep the whole body happy and healthy. But the mix in opinions also suggests that there is more research to be done in this area as to whether the damage that can be caused by the sun outweighs the damage that can be caused from having a vitamin D deficiency, and as to whether the sunbed really can help to generate vitamin D.
"Life is a balancing act! We need sunlight to be healthy so do not avoid it," says Dr Des Fernandes. "We need it to brighten up our minds, and to make the essential vitamin D that keeps our bones strong."
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