5 Myths about Sun Exposure
Here are 5 myths about sun exposure that we will dispel. As usual, a summary can be found at the end of the article if you do not plan on reading the entire blog.
People living near the equator have sufficient sun exposure for healthy levels of vitamin D.
It was found in a study published in 2013 that Vitamin D deficiency in South East Asian countries can be as high as 70%. Singapore, despite being close to the equator as compared to Thailand, had higher rates of vitamin D deficiency due to us being a more industrialized country. Females, especially the younger age group, living in urban areas and those physically less active were predicted to have higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.
Everyone shares the same amount of risk to skin cancer
Everyone is unique and thus, our susceptibility to sun damage also varies. Those with lighter complexions have higher risks of sun damage compared to those with darker complexions. Hence, the amount and level of sun protection required for an individual also differs. The general guideline is to avoid being burnt. The longer duration of sun exposure, the more protection we require especially if you have a lighter complexion.
Vitamin D production is the ONLY health benefit of sun exposure
Besides increasing vitamin D production, sun exposure has been found to have the following health benefits:
Reduce breast cancer incidence and mortality
Reduced risk of non-hodgkin's lymphoma, colorectal and prostate cancer and multiple sclerosis.
Reduced prevalence of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes
Reduced risks of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline
Curtailment of development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Reduced risk of macular degeneration
Improve brain serotonergic activity which is linked to depression and migraine headaches
We should ALWAYS cover up/ apply sunscreen all the time when we are outdoors
There is a balance between getting too much sun exposure vs getting inadequate sun exposure. While sun protection is important especially for prolonged duration of exposure with people who are prone to sunburns, it is also important that we get our essential non-sunburn sun exposure. It is challenging to give a precise recommendation as there are multiple factors that can affect how much is enough or how much is too much. The best guide is not to get sunburn and to increase the amount of sun protection with increased duration of sun exposure.
Excessive sun exposure is huge public health problem
The bigger threat to public health is insufficient sun exposure as suggested by a recent study published in 2020. They reported that studies in the past decade indicate that insufficient sun exposure may be responsible for 340,000 deaths in the United States and 480, 000 deaths in Europe per year. Besides vitamin D production, other mechanisms that have been suggested to bring about health benefits include the release of nitric oxide from the skin with direct effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Summary of myths that is untrue:
People living near the equator have sufficient sun exposure for healthy levels of vitamin D.
Everyone shares the same amount of risk to skin cancer
Vitamin D production is the only health benefit of sun exposure.
We should ALWAYS cover up/ apply sunscreen all the time when we are outdoors
Excessive sun exposure is huge public health problem
References
Hataikarn Nimitphong & Michael F. Holick (2013) Vitamin D status and sun exposure in southeast Asia, Dermato-Endocrinology, 5:1, 34-37, DOI: 10.4161/derm.24054
Barbara A Gilchrest, Sun exposure and vitamin D sufficiency, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 88, Issue 2, August 2008, Pages 570S–577S, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/88.2.570S
David G. Hoel, Marianne Berwick, Frank R. de Gruijl & Michael F. Holick (2016) The risks and benefits of sun exposure 2016, Dermato-Endocrinology, 8:1, DOI: 10.1080/19381980.2016.1248325
Alfredsson L, Armstrong BK, Butterfield DA, Chowdhury R, de Gruijl FR, Feelisch M, Garland CF, Hart PH, Hoel DG, Jacobsen R, Lindqvist PG, Llewellyn DJ, Tiemeier H, Weller RB, Young AR. Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(14):5014. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145014
