Dr. Gerry Schwalfenberg, a great vitamin D scientist whom I had the pleasure of meeting at one of my speaking engagements in Canada, has just penned a very nice piece regarding the dilemma that is created for Canadians as they are told to avoid the sunlight, especially as they have a short season where vitamin D can be produced. He also laments the dangers of sunscreen use, as it reduces vitamin D production by 97%.
Everything Dr. Schwalfenberg suggests is important, except his advocacy for sunscreen use after a certain time in the sun. Unless the sunscreen has no noxious chemicals, as most do, it should never be used. Use a long-sleeved shirt and broad-brim hat to protect against overexposure. I would also have been pleased if he had mentioned other essential health-giving products that are increased by sunlight exposure—products such as endorphins, serotonin, and nitric oxide, all of which are essential to human health. Vitamin D is only one essential product that is produced by sunlight exposure.
Dr. Schwalfenberg’s article is a great read, for Canadians and anyone else interested in the benefits of sunlight. Here is the link: http://www.novanewsnow.com/Living/2015-09-21/article-4284582/Insufficient-vitamin-D-levels-among-12-million-Canadians%26nbsp%3B/1
By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute
IM is an acute form of mononucleosis, which is a disease associated with Epstein-Barr virus and characterized by sudden fever and a benign swelling of lymph nodes. It is also known as glandular fever.[i] And is sometimes called the kissing disease, since the virus that causes mono is transmitted through saliva, but though one can contract the disease through kissing, it can also be spread through coughing or sneezing, or by sharing food utensils with someone who has the condition.[ii]
Recent research has shown that in Scotland, the disease is less frequent in summer and peaks in the winter,[iii] indicative of a protective influence of sunlight. And as we have pointed out in posts on multiple sclerosis and MS, there is a strong association between low sunlight exposure and MS. This is an important point, because the two diseases are closely linked.[iv] [v] And in Norway and Italy, the incidence of IM is highest in spring.[vi] This could indicate low vitamin D levels after winter when sunlight exposure is lessened. Whatever the cause, sunlight is an important protective factor.
[i] Dictionary.com, accessed September 17, 2015.
[ii] Mayo Clinic Diseses and Conditions. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mononucleosis/basics/definition/con-20021164 Accessed September 19, 2015.
[iii] Visser E1, Milne D, Collacott I, McLernon D, Counsell C, Vickers M. The epidemiology of infectious mononucleosis in Northern Scotland: a decreasing incidence and winter peak. BMC Infect Dis. 2014 Mar 20;14:151.
[iv] Goldacre MJ, Wotton CJ, Seagroatt V, Yeates D. Multiple sclerosis after infectious mononucleosis: record linkage study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2004 Dec;58(12):1032-5.
[v] Ramagopalan SV, Hoang U, Seagroatt V, Handel A, Ebers GC, Giovannoni G, Goldacre MJ. Geography of hospital admissions for multiple sclerosis in England and comparison with the geography of hospital admissions for infectious mononucleosis: a descriptive study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2011 Jun;82(6):682-7.
[vi] Lossius A, Riise T, Pugliatti M, Bjørnevik K, Casetta I, Drulovic J, Granieri E, Kampman MT, Landtblom AM, Lauer K, Magalhaes S, Myhr KM, Pekmezovic T, Wesnes K, Wolfson C, Holmøy T. Season of infectious mononucleosis and risk of multiple sclerosis at different latitudes; the EnvIMS Study. Mult Scler. 2014 May;2006:669-74.
By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute
Sometimes we come across research, conducted many years ago, that carries a great message of health for those who seek the sun. In this case the research was done in 1988 and involved a study on mice that were given a chemical protocol designed to induce skin cancer.[1] Half of the mice were also given ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation during that protocol. After 20 weeks of cancer a cancer initiation-promotion protocol with two carcinogenic chemicals, there were 75% fewer cancerous tumors per mouse in the mice that were irradiated UVB.
Another 24-week study reported in 1992 showed that 12 weeks of UV radiation, applied either before or after chemical initiation of cancer, resulted in a 61% reduction in the mice that were irradiated before the chemical treatments, and 50% in the mice that were irradiated during the treatments.[2]
The message is this: exposure to UV light from sunlamps or sunshine may be protective against skin cancer development. So what’s new? Many of us have been promulgating that message for many years, and this research simply shows that we were not the first to understand the cancer-preventive influences of sunlight.
[1] Gensler HL Prevention of chemically induced two-stage skin carcinogenesis in mice by systemic effects of ultraviolet irradiation. Carcinogenesis. 1988 May;9(5):767-9.
[2] Gensler HL, Simpson PJ, Powell MB. Inhibition of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced tumor promotion in murine skin by systemic effects of ultraviolet irradiation. Photochem Photobiol. 1992 Jul;56(1):25-30.
By Marc Sorenson, EdD
Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which become scaly, crusted, or hardened.[i] Atopic dermatitis is the most common form of the many types of eczema, and UV radiation has been used successfully for decades in its treatment.[ii] An excellent paper by Dr. DJ Palmer mentioned the following regarding the use of UV light as a treatment:
- UV therapy was first used in the 1970s, when UVA radiation was used to treat atopic dermatitis and other skin conditions.[iii] The results were considered poor to fair, but created optimism going forward.
- In the 1980s, a combination of UVA and UVB therapy was used to treat atopic dermatitis, and in one investigation, it was shown that of 107 patients, 93% had good results, and the need for steroidal skin treatments (a typical treatment for the disease) decreased in half of the patients. A second experiment followed, in which 94% of the patients had good results and 85% of them had a decreased need for the steroid treatments.[iv]
- A 12-county European study reported in 2004, found the prevalence of eczema symptoms increased with latitude (indicative of less sunlight exposure).[v]
- In 2009, Italian research showed that seaside holidays led to complete resolution of atopic dermatitis in 91% of patients,[vi] which indicated positive effects of sunlight on the disease. The study also showed that the condition improved during summertime and deteriorated in the other seasons.
- A U.S. study of more than 91,000 children, reported in 2013 found significantly increased prevalence of eczema associated with several measures of lower solar UVB dose.
An investigation in children aged 0-17 years also established that sunlight exposure was associated with lessened prevalence of eczema.[vii] Children in the highest quartile (fourth) of exposure were about 20% less likely to experience eczema. Other research on young people directly assessed sunlight exposure in the first 16 years of life and compared it to the risk of atopic allergic diseases. It demonstrated that high sunlight exposure during summer holidays or weekends was significantly associated with reduced eczema.[viii] However, as the researchers stated, “Increased sun exposure during summer holidays in adolescence was associated with reduced eczema and rhinitis risk, independently of measured vitamin D levels. This is another of the studies that indicates sunlight produces salubrious effects beyond its ability to stimulate vitamin D production.
[i] Palmer DJ. Vitamin D and the Development of Atopic Eczema. J Clin Med. 2015 May 20;4(5):1036-50.
[ii] Palmer DJ. Vitamin D and the Development of Atopic Eczema. J Clin Med. 2015 May 20;4(5):1036-50.
[iii] Lynch WS, Martin JS, Roenigk HH Jr. Clinical results of photochemotherapy. The Cleveland Clinic experience. Cutis. 1977 Oct;20(4):477-80
[iv] Hannuksela M, Karvonen J, Husa M, Jokela R, Katajamäki L, Leppisaari M. Ultraviolet light therapy in atopic dermatitis. Acta Derm Venereol Suppl (Stockh). 1985;114:137-9.
[v] Weiland SK, Husing A, Strachan DP, Rzehak P, Pearce N. Climate and the prevalence of symptoms of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema in children. Occup Environ Med 2004;61:609-15.
[vi] Patrizi A, Savoia F, Giacomini F, Tabanelli M, Gurioli C. The effect of summer holidays and sun exposure on atopic dermatitis. G Ital Dermatol Venereol. 2009 Aug;144(4):463-6
[vii] Silverberg JI, Hanifin J, Simpson EL. Climatic factors are associated with childhood eczema prevalence in the United States. J Invest Dermatol. 2013 Jul;133(7):1752-9
[viii] Kemp AS, Ponsonby AL, Pezic A, Cochrane JA, Dwyer T, Jones G. The influence of sun exposure in childhood and adolescence on atopic disease at adolescence. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2013 Aug;24(5):493-500.
By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute
Research now indicates that sunlight has very positive affects on colon cancer, whereas vitamin D has no affect, and in high doses may be counterproductive, at least in rats. Dr. AA Irving and colleagues performed a 140-day investigation involving rats that had colon adenomas (a precursor to full-blown colon cancer) induced in their colons.[1] The rats were given either vitamin D3, or the stored form, 25(OH)D3, in differing amounts. With low dose vitamin D in either form, no reduction in either existing adenomas or emerging tumors were seen. In higher doses, there was a dose-dependent increase in colon tumor numbers in both male and female rats.
The researchers said the following in their concluding statement: “Thus, the association between sunlight exposure and the incidence of colon cancer may involve factors other than vitamin D concentrations. Alternative hypotheses warrant investigation. Furthermore, this study provides preliminary evidence for the need for caution regarding vitamin D supplementation of humans at higher doses, especially in individuals with sufficient serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations.”
The takeaway from this research is that sunlight is protective against colon cancer in rats (and probably in humans), independent of vitamin D—another reason to embrace the sunlight (safely, of course).
[1] Irving AA, Plum LA, Blaser WJ, Ford MR, Weng C, Clipson L, DeLuca HF, Dove WF. Cholecalciferol or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol neither prevents nor treats adenomas in a rat model of familial colon cancer. J Nutr. 2015 Feb;145(2):291-8.
By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute
A good, sound sleep is important to human health, both physical and mental. According to Dr. Diana Grigsby-Toussaint, “Studies show that inadequate sleep is associated with declines in mental and physical health, reduced cognitive function, and increased obesity.” She and her colleagues at the University of Illinois recently published a new study demonstrating that a natural environment may help people get the sleep they need.[1] The study showed that exposure to nature, which they dubbed “greenspace,” was associated with a more restful sleep. Other surroundings such as a sandy beach with an ocean view were also conducive to better sleep. One of the measurements used to qualify an area as greenspace was the availability of sunlight.[2]
I can attest to the fact that when I regularly walk through the pines and aspens located in the high mountains near my Nevada ranch, I sleep better at night. When I don’t get enough outdoor time in the trees and sunlight, I begin to suffer from what my friend, Dr. William Grant, calls nature-deficit disorder, or NDD. My whole mood is altered, and not for the better. Dr. Grant is not only a great sunlight scientist, but an avid birdwatcher, which takes him out daily do get his dose of nature.
We have a primal need for sunlight and natural surroundings, and too many city dwellers do not connect with sunlight and nature. Don’t fall into that trap. There is an adage that says, “What gets scheduled gets done.” Plan to be outside as often as possible and soak up some sun when it is available. Natural surroundings with sunlight are better than any psychiatrist or physician for maintaining mental and physical health.
[1] Grigsby-Toussaint DS, Turi KN, Krupa M, Williams NJ, Pandi-Perumal SR, Jean-Louis G. Sleep insufficiency and the natural environment: Results from the US Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. Prev Med. 2015 Sep;78:78-84.
[2] http://news.aces.illinois.edu/news/u-i-study-men-people-over-65-sleep-better-when-they-have-access-nature.
By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute
Are you suffering from anxiety disorder, but fear taking drugs? Your fear is well-founded. It has been shown that a class of drugs called anti-anxiety drugs, i.e. valium and Xanax, and sleep aids like Ambien, Sonata and Lunesta lead to increased risk of death.[i] During 7.6 years, and after controlling for other factors such as sleep disorders, anxiety disorders and other psychiatric illnesses, it was found that the risk of dying was 3.46 times higher in those who took the drugs compared to those who did not. Considering the material we have posted on this site regarding brain disorders, insomnia, and sunlight, it seems reasonable to believe that a better and less dangerous anxiety-treatment option would be regular sunlight exposure.
Research from Denmark has shown that morning light, made to mimic daylight, relieves anxiety by reducing the activity of the brain’s fear center.[ii] The efficacy of the light treatment was based on the intensity of the light: the greater intensity, the greater the effect.
Another scientist, Dr Klaus Martiny, commented on the above study and noted that morning light improves sleep. “A lack of daylight disrupts some hormonal processes in our body that regulate our circadian rhythm. This can result in a shift in circadian rhythm, so that people go to sleep later and later in the evenings, and this shift is associated with an increased risk of depression.”[iii]
Martiny suggested that a good rule of thumb is to go to sleep before midnight and awaken before 8:00 AM. However, we discussed in the post on obesity that the earliest morning sunlight was associated with a remarkably lessened risk of obesity, which was also attributed to resetting the circadian rhythm. We therefore suggest that a better rule of thumb is to be outside for a half-hour when the sun rises each morning.
Get your morning sunlight, your midday sunlight and your afternoon sunlight. Sunlight is the great healer.
[i] Weich S, Pearce H, Croft P, Singh S, Crome L. et al. Effect of anxiolytic and hypnotic drug prescriptions on mortality hazards: retrospective cohort study. BMJ 2014;348:g1996.
[ii] Christensen B. Morning light relieves anxiety. Science Nordic 2014. http://sciencenordic.com/morning-light-relieves-anxiety Accessed August 8, 2015.
[iii] http://sciencenordic.com/morning-light-relieves-anxiety. Accessed August 8, 2015
We have discussed the extraordinary ability of sunlight exposure or other bright-light exposure to profoundly increase the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that is a potent mood enhancer. The most remarkable research on this subject was by Dr. Gavin Lambert and his colleagues in Australia. They measured serotonin levels in response to varying degrees of bright light.[1] To do this, they actually took blood samples from internal jugular veins of 101 men and compared the serotonin concentration of the blood to weather conditions and seasons. The results were remarkable: MEN WHO WERE MEASURED ON A VERY BRIGHT DAY PRODUCED EIGHT TIMES MORE SEROTONIN THAN THOSE WHO WERE MEASURED ON A CLOUDY, DISMAL DAY. They also observed that the effect of bright light was immediate, and that there was no holdover from day to day. SEROTONIN LEVELS WERE ALSO SEVEN TIMES HIGHER IN SUMMER THAN WINTER. NO WONDER WE FEEL SO GOOD WHEN WE ARE OUTSIDE IN THE SUMMERTIME!
The most popular anti-depressant drugs also work by keeping serotonin levels higher, but there are frightening side-effects. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), indicates that antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) may increase depression in some cases and lead to suicidal thoughts. Some of the brands involved are Paxil, Lexapro, Prozac, Effexor, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Luvox, Celexa and Serzone, although the FDA listed 34 drugs. The entire list is at fda.gov/cder/drug/antidepressants/. They state the following: “The Food and Drug Administration asks manufacturers of all antidepressant drugs to include in their labeling a boxed warning and expanded warning statements that alert health care providers to an increased risk of suicidality in children and adolescents being treated with these agents, and additional information about the results of pediatric studies.”
The FDA lists several additional warnings and instructions about these drugs:
-
Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children and adolescents with MDD (major depressive disorder) and other psychiatric disorders.
-
Anyone considering the use of an antidepressant in a child or adolescent for any clinical use must balance the risk of increased suicidality with the clinical need.
-
Patients who are started on therapy should be observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior.
-
Families should be advised to closely observe the patient and to communicate with the prescriber.
Missing are two important facts: (1) SSRI’s increase bone loss.[2] Women who used SSRI’s lose nearly 80% more bone per year than non-users! And as expected, later research shows that SSRI use correlated to a 75% greater likelihood of sustaining a fracture.[3] Secondly, SSRI’s don’t work very well. A meta-analysis of data on SSRI’s submitted to the FDA indicates that placebos (sugar pills) are as effective as SSRI’s in reducing depression; [4] in other words, only drug companies benefit from SSRI’s—not depression sufferers.
Based on that information, it seems prudent to increase our endorphins (and our happiness) through sunlight exposure. It is what nature intended.
[1] Lambert GW, Reid C, Kaye DM, Jennings GL, Esler MD. Effect of sunlight and season on serotonin turnover in the brain. Lancet. 2002 Dec 7;360(9348):1840-2.
[2] Diem SJ, Blackwell TL, Stone KL, Yaffe K, Haney EM, Bliziotes MM, Ensrud KE.. Use of antidepressants and rates of hip bone loss in older women; the study of osteoporotic fractures. Arch Intern Med 2007:167:1231-32.
[3] Sheu YH, Lanteigne A, Stürmer T, Pate V, Azrael D, Miller M5. SSRI use and risk of fractures among perimenopausal women without mental disorders. Inj Prev. 2015 Jun 25. pii: injuryprev-2014-041483. doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2014-041483. [Epub ahead of print]
[4] Kirsch, I. et al. Initial severity and antidepressant benefits: a meta-analysis of data submitted to the Food and Drug Administration. PLoS Medicine 2008;5:e45. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0050045