Excessive exposure to the sun can sometimes have health benefits, preventing heart attacks and sudden death syndrome, according to a recent study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen. Health risks posed by exposure to the sun, on which doctors have been warning for many years, are questioned in this recent study that suggests that “sunbathing” may have beneficial effects on the health.
Despite the usual strong association with skin cancer, Danish researchers have found that prolonged exposure to the sun seems to drop the risk of heart attacks and sudden death syndrome in addition to the already known beneficial effect on bone health.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen analyzed the medical records of the entire population of Denmark aged over 40 years – more than 4 million people – and found that individuals who were diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer have a risk of heart attack 4 percent lower than the general population. The same persons have also a 50 percent lower risk of dying young, and medical data suggests that their bones are healthier .
Non-melanoma skin cancer that develop in the upper skin layers is one of the most common cancers in the world. Approximately 100,000 new cases are detected each year in the UK, but the survival rate is high. This type of cancer is different from other rare types of melanoma, which can spread quickly to other organs and cause 2,000 deaths in the UK each year.
British scientists have questioned the Danish study findings.
“Overexposure to UV rays from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer. We all need some sun in our lives to make vitamin D, which is crucial for healthy bones. But the key is to enjoy the sun safely and avoid sunburn,” said Dr. Claire Knight of Cancer Research UK.
However, Danish researchers say that people who love the sun might have benefited from it simply because their bodies synthesize higher amounts of vitamin D, a molecule credited with many health benefits . These people can be healthy at the same time because outdoor living longer, thus adopting a healthier lifestyle.
The study was published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
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