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Uncategorized / 1.24.2016 / No Comment

Lack of Sun Exposure is an important Factor in Premenopausal Breast Cancer

By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute…

Case-control research from Iran indicates that lack of sun exposure is a major risk factor for breast cancer.[1] Two groups of women, one that had breast cancer (cases) and another that was normal (controls), were assessed by questionnaire regarding lifestyle choices and the risk for breast cancer. When assessing sun exposure habits, those who had the lowest level of sun exposure had nearly three times the risk of being a cancer victim as those who had the highest level.

This is the second Iranian study I am aware of that showed a remarkable difference in breast-cancer risk based on sun exposure. Another case-control study showed that women who covered themselves completely had more than 10 times the risk breast cancer compared to those who were not totally covered.[2] Of transcendent importance was the unexpected finding that vitamin D levels were nearly identical in cases as controls, meaning that the protective mechanism could not have been vitamin D. Some other factor must have protected them from the disease. We have mentioned on this blog many times that sun exposure leads to higher levels of serotonin, endorphin, nitric oxide and other potentially helpful products.

Whatever the mechanism, it seem wise to get plenty of non-burning sunlight.

[1] Salarabadi A, Bidgoli SA, Madani SH. Roles of Kermanshahi Oil, Animal Fat, Dietary and Non- Dietary Vitamin D and other Nutrients in Increased Risk of Premenopausal Breast Cancer: A Case Control Study in Kermanshah, Iran. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2015;16(17):7473-8.

[2] Bidgoli SA, Azarshab H. Role of vitamin D deficiency and lack of sun exposure in the incidence of premenopausal breast cancer: a case control study in Sabzevar, Iran. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2014;15(8):3391-6.

Uncategorized / 1.20.2016 / No Comment

Sun Exposure, Chronic Fatigue and Vitamin D

By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute…

A recent post by an online paper called The Korea Bizwire talks of research by Dr. Emad Al Duzahiri, in which he concludes that those who are suffering from chronic fatigue may really be suffering from sun deficiency.[1] The article mentions that vitamin D, preferably from sun exposure, is essential for reducing the risk of the disease.

There is at least one additional study indicating that optimization of vitamin D improves the severity of symptoms in those who suffer from fatigue.[2]

Remember that sun exposure is the best way to obtain your vitamin D, because it also comes along with serotonin, nitric oxide, endorphins and perhaps dopamine, and it profoundly improves the mood—just what the doctor ordered for chronic fatigue.

So when your get-up-and-go has gotten up and gone, don’t forget the sun!

[1] Emad Al Duzahiri. Quoted in The Korea Bizwire, January 19, 2016. http://koreabizwire.com/lack-of-exposure-to-sunlight-may-lead-to-chronic-fatigue/48480 (accessed January 20, 2016)

[2] Roy S, Sherman A, Monari-Sparks MJ, Schweiker O, Hunter K. Correction of Low Vitamin D Improves Fatigue: Effect of Correction of Low Vitamin D in Fatigue Study (EViDiF Study). N Am J Med Sci. 2014 Aug;6(8):396-402.

Uncategorized / 1.20.2016 / No Comment

Sun Exposure, Nitric Oxide and Vitamin D for improved Athletic Performance

By Marc Sorenson, EdD Sunlight Institute…

A most interesting research paper demonstrates that nitrate supplements, combined with exposure to sunlight, increases performance of cyclists.[1] The researchers state that “dietary nitrate supplementation has been shown to increase nitric oxide (NO) metabolites, reduce blood pressure (BP) and enhance exercise performance.” And, as we have discussed in this blog, sun exposure reduces BP by increasing the production of NO. It was theorized that sun exposure might enhance the athletic performance induced by the dietary nitrate supplementation.

The theory proved to be correct; although sun exposure did not improve cycling times by itself, when combined with the nitrate supplementation, cycling times improved significantly.

It may surprise some people to realize that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from sun beds or sun lamps has been used since before 1950 to enhance athletic performance.[2] As early as 1938, Russian researchers reported that a course of UVR significantly improved speed in the 100-meter dash among four students when compared with controls that did not have the radiation, although both groups were undergoing identical daily training.[3] The non-irradiated group improved by 1.7% but the irradiated group improved by 7.4%. Another study conducted over ten weeks showed that cardiovascular endurance improved remarkably among athletes in training who were irradiated vs. those who were not.[4] The irradiated athletes improved by 19.2% compared to 1.5% among the non-irradiated group.

There are numerous studies from Germany showing the efficacy of UVR on athletic performance, most of them from the early days before the idea of sun-lamp produced UVR fell into disrepute because of the attack on tanning beds. What a shame. This method of athletic assistance could produce an impressive improvement in sports performance for so many people, athletic or not. Strength improves, stamina improves, quickness improves and speed improves with UVR radiation, which of course is also part of sunlight. The mechanism for this improvement is likely a combination of vitamin D and nitric oxide.

Safely enjoy the sun!

[1] Muggeridge DJ, Sculthorpe N, Grace FM, Willis G, Thornhill L, Weller RB, James PE, Easton C. Acute whole body UVA irradiation combined with nitrate ingestion enhances time trial performance in trained cyclists. Nitric Oxide. 2015 Aug 1;48:3-9.

[2] Cannell JJ, Hollis BW, Sorenson MB, Taft TN, Anderson JJ. Athletic performance and vitamin D. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 May;41(5):1102-10.

[3] Gorkin Z. Gorkin MJ, Teslenko NE. The effect of ultraviolet radiation upon training for the 100-meter sprint.

[4] Allen R, Cureton T. Effects of ultraviolet radiation on physical fitness. Arch Phys Med 1945;10:641-4.

Uncategorized / 1.18.2016 / 3 Comments

Sun Exposure reduces Cardiovascular Disease independently of Vitamin D.

By Marc Sorenson, EdD Sunlight Institute…

Dr. Richard Weller, a dermatologist and champion of sun exposure, has just published a review stating that sun exposure has cardiovascular benefits independent of vitamin D.[1] This is good news for those who fear having a heart attack or stroke. Cardiovascular disease, of course, is our number-one killer. Dr. Weller make several points in his review, as follows:

Individuals with high serum vitamin D levels are at reduced risk of hypertension (chronic high blood pressure), cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome (a cluster of factors including abdominal obesity, high triglyceride levels, low HDL levels, high blood sugar levels and insulin resistance) that are linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
However, multiple research reports show that oral vitamin D supplementation has no effect on those problems.
But, epidemiological studies data show a correlation between increased sun exposure and reduced hypertension and death from cardiovascular disease.
Scandinavian studies show a dose dependent fall in mortality (death) with sun-seeking behavior. In other words, the higher the sun exposure, the lower the risk of death from all causes. In fact, those with the highest sun exposure had half the risk of death as those with the lowest exposure
The reduced risk of death among sun seekers is probably due to the nitric-oxide increasing effects of sun exposure.
The higher the latitude in the Northern Hemisphere, the greater is the blood pressure. Populations at higher latitudes have far less sun exposure that those at low latitudes.
In one study of risk factors for atheroma (plugging of the arteries), latitude was found to be the strongest predictor.

This is another potent argument for getting your share of the sun; it could save your life.

[1] Richard B. Weller. Sunlight Has Cardiovascular Benefits Independently of Vitamin D Blood Purif 2016;41:130–134.

Uncategorized / 1.16.2016 / No Comment

Sun Exposure and Type-1 Diabetes, Part 2.

By Marc Sorenson, EdD Sunlight Institute…

Following up on the type-1 diabetes blog posted a short time ago, here is interesting information on the association between low sun exposure and type-1 diabetes:

Consider this: a child in Finland is about 400 times more likely than a child in Venezuela to acquire type-1, and across the globe, there is a marked geographic variation in incidence of the disease, with high latitude countries having the highest incidence and equatorial countries having the lowest incidence.^{^[1]} Obviously, the difference in risk of type-one between Finland and Venezuela is due to the quantity of sunlight that exists between the two countries. Sun stimulates the skin to produce vitamin D, so it might be surmised that high vitamin D levels in Venezuela are responsible for the exponentially lower risk. I agree that high vitamin D is an important part of prevention of type-one diabetes. Nonetheless, I don’t believe vitamin D to be the only factor. A 400:1 ratio of disease risk (400 cases in Finland for each one in Venezuela) is far beyond what was accomplished in Vitamin D supplement research in Finland. We also know now, that vitamin D levels are very similar among countries throughout the world, averaging about 21 ng/ml.[2] Therefore, it appears that sun exposure is exceptionally important, beyond its ability to stimulate the production of vitamin D.

Another consideration: high sun exposure has a far more beneficial effect on MS than vitamin D per se. Since both MS and type-1 diabetes are autoimmune diseases, it is likely that sun exposure has its own independent effects in preventing type-one diabetes, as it does with MS. Some of these effects may be due to nitric oxide, endorphins and serotonin, all of which are produced by the body when it is exposed to sunlight. It is becoming increasingly apparent that sunlight has remarkable protective influences on diabetes and many other diseases, independent of vitamin D.

Enjoy the sun, but do it safely.

[1] Dimitrios Papandreou, Pavlos Malindretos, Zacharoula Karabouta, and Israel Rousso. Possible Health Implications and Low Vitamin D Status during Childhood and Adolescence: An Updated Mini Review.

[2] Jennifer Hilger, Angelika Friedel, Raphael Herr, Tamara Rausch, Franz Roos, Denys A. Wahl, Dominique D. Pierroz, Peter Weber and Kristina Hoffmann. A systematic review of vitamin D status in populations worldwide. Br J Nutr. 2014 Jan 14;111(1):23-45.

Uncategorized / 1.16.2016 / No Comment

Sunlight and Vitamin D associate with a reduced risk of Leukemia. Or is it really only Sun Exposure?

By Marc Sorenson, EdD Sunlight institute…

Recent research shows that there is a higher risk of leukemia in countries that are at high latitudes in the north or low latitudes in the south. The risk is twice as high at these latitudes as at latitudes closer to the equator.[1] Dr. Cedrick Garland, one of the authors of the research, stated that “these results suggest that much of the burden of leukemia worldwide is due to the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency we are experiencing in winter in populations distant from the equator.” Since persons living far from the equator have much less exposure to the sun’s rays, due to shorter sunlight seasons and more cloudiness, the statement regarding vitamin D deficiency makes sense; UVB from sun exposure, or another source such as tanning lamps, is necessary to stimulate the skin to produce vitamin D—hence the association between latitude and vitamin D.

However, Dr. William B Grant sent me an interesting paper that leads me to believe that some things that seem to make sense may not necessarily be true. The paper showed that there was little difference among vitamin D levels in countries at different latitudes,[2] with levels being close to 20 ng/ml on average. This would lead me to believe that vitamin D was not the factor that caused the reduced risk of leukemia among the countries that received more sunlight.

We are then left to determine the cause of the reduced risk of leukemia in the sunny countries. There are really only two factors that come to mind. First, sunlight, through the eyes, stimulates the production of serotonin/melatonin, which have been associated with protection against cancer in some studies. Sunlight also stimulates the skin to produce nitric oxide and endorphin, which could have an impact. Second, populations residing in areas closer to the equator are likely to have access to year-round fruits and vegetables, which have been shown to associate to a lower risk of cancer. Whatever the reason, this is one more example of better health among people who receive more sunlight. And remember, even those fruits and veggies need sunlight to thrive. So let’s safely embrace the sun.

[1] Cuomo RE, Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB. Cuomo RE, Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB. Low Cloud Cover-Adjusted Ultraviolet B Irradiance Is Associated with High Incidence Rates of Leukemia: Study of 172 Countries. PLoS One. 2015 Dec 4;10(12).

[2] Jennifer Hilger, Angelika Friedel, Raphael Herr, Tamara Rausch, Franz Roos, Denys A. Wahl, Dominique D. Pierroz, Peter Weber and Kristina Hoffmann. A systematic review of vitamin D status in populations worldwide. Br J Nutr. 2014 Jan 14;111(1):23-45.

Uncategorized / 1.4.2016 / No Comment

Do you have High Blood Pressure? Could Sunlight save your Life?

By Marc Sorenson, EdD Sunlight Institute

High blood pressure (HBP, hypertension) is a plague in our society, with one in three adults in the U.S. having the condition.[1] Although 61,762 people per year die from HBP per se, its influence on other diseases may be more dangerous that HBP itself; it is also implicated in increased risk of death from heart disease, heart failure, other arterial diseases, kidney disease, irregular heart rhythms, osteoporosis, cognitive dysfunction, painful intercourse and stroke.[2] Although textbook theory holds that HBP is regulated by the brain, blood vessels, or kidney, recent evidence suggests that HBP could be regulated in the skin, and that sunlight exposure plays a role in in controlling the condition.[3] The authors of the latest research on this subject (footnote 3) demonstrate that sunlight produces a dilation of the arteries (known as vasodilation) by stimulating the production of Nitric oxide (NO) in the skin. NO is a potent vasodilator, stimulated by the ultraviolet A (UVA) portion of sunlight, and has been known for several years to lower blood pressure. Dr. Oplander and his colleagues wrote the first paper on the UVA and blood pressure in 2009, [4] showing a dramatic reduction of blood pressure with UVA.

A study from China demonstrates that exposure to sunlight correlates to a lowered risk of HBP.^{^[5]} In a randomly selected population of Chinese residents from Macau (where the rate of hypertension is very high), the following risk factors for hypertension were assessed: lack of sunlight exposure, low intake of fish, smoking, obesity and lack of exercise. An average of more than one-half hour of sunlight exposure per day, compared to none, predicted a 40% reduced risk for hypertension. Other factors such as smoking and poor nutrition, are of course very dangerous in producing HBP.

Dr. Grant has estimated that by doubling the dose of sun exposure, 400,000 lives could be saved yearly in the USA, with most of the reduction in mortality due to lives saved by lesser incidence of cancer and cardiovascular disease.^{^[6]} HBP, of course is a major player in cardiovascular disease, and we know that regular sunlight exposure is associated with profoundly lower risk of about 18 major cancers. Do not neglect to get your regular, non-burning sun exposure. It could save your life!

[1] American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Statistical Fact Sheet/2013 update.

[2] Ann Pietrangelo. Healthline 2014 http://www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/effect-on-body (accessed January 4, 2016).

[3] Johnson RS, Titze J, Weller R. Cutaneous control of blood pressure. Curr Opin Nephrol Hypertens. 2016;Jan25(1):11-5.

[4] Opländer C, Volkmar CM, Paunel-Görgülü A, van Faassen EE, Heiss C, Kelm M, Halmer D, Mürtz M, Pallua N, Suschek CV.. Whole body UVA irradiation lowers systemic blood pressure by release of nitric oxide from intracutaneous photolabile nitric oxide derivates. Circ Res. 2009;105:1031–40.

[5] Ke L, Ho J, Feng J, Mpofu E, Dibley MJ, Feng X, Van F, Leong S, Lau W, Lueng P, Kowk C, Li Y, Mason RS, Brock KE. Modifiable risk factors including sunlight exposure and fish consumption are associated with risk of hypertension in a large representative population from Macau. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2013 Nov 1 [Epub ahead of print].

[6] Grant, W. In defense of the sun: An estimate of changes in mortality rates in the United States if mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were raised to 45 ng/mL by solar ultraviolet-B irradiance. Dermato-endocrinology 2009;4:207-214.

Uncategorized / 1.4.2016 / No Comment

Sunshine, Obesity and Bone Loss

By Marc Sorenson, EdD Sunlight Institute…

The obesity pandemic, brought about by horrendous eating patterns, lack of exercise and lack of sunlight, has spawned millions of nutritionally bizarre diet programs and numerous strange medical procedures. One of the strangest is gastric bypass surgery, a procedure that cuts calorie absorptions by bypassing part of the stomach and intestinal area that absorbs nutrients. It is another case, similar to open-heart bypass, of a surgery that “bypasses” the real problem: preposterous lifestyle habits.

Any thinking person realizes that a surgery that reduces the calorie absorption also reduces the absorption of calcium and dietary vitamin D. It is a recipe for osteoporosis and hip fractures; these nutrients are essential for optimal bone health. Research by Dr. J Fleischer and colleagues showed that one year after gastric bypass, bone loss at the hip was 8%.[i] Just how important is this finding? One assessment showed that the risk of fracture increases two to three times for every 10 percent drop in bone density,[ii] and another showed that for every loss of 0.12g (.043 oz) per square centimeter (.15 square inch) of bone mass, the risk of a fracture increased by 360% in women and 340% in men.[iii]

Remember that this bone loss was reported only one year after the bypass surgery. If this rate of bone loss continued for several years, it would weaken the skeleton to the point that the slightest movement would cause a fracture. The bypass procedure is a horror, and the bone loss brought on by lack of absorption of calcium and vitamin D is even worse.

In the case of decreased absorption of vitamin D, increased dietary intake of vitamin D may not work to improve bone strength; it is likely that only a very small quantity of the increased intake would be absorbed into the system, meaning that the only way to ensure adequate vitamin D levels in the blood is to expose the skin to sunlight around midday in summer or light from sunlamps in winter. Vast quantities of vitamin D are produced in this manner, and the entire quantity is delivered to the blood, where it can work to increase calcium absorption in both the intestine and the bone. Calcium absorption in the intestine, for example, is 65% higher in people whose vitamin D levels are at the high end of “normal” when compared with those who are at the low end of normal.[iv]

Osteoporosis is not inevitable, and it is to a certain extent reversible. It is a problem caused by sunlight deficiency, excessive protein consumption, smoking, and lack of activity. Now we have added another revolting cause: the doctor’s scalpel. I wonder just how many doctors advise their patients about bone loss, sunlight and vitamin D before performing this atrocity. Interestingly, however, sunlight exposure has a positive influence on gastric bypass. Adverse effects of these surgeries are directly associated with the season and latitude in which they occur.[v] Seasons or latitudes of low sunlight availability were inversely correlated to prolonged stays in the hospital (39.4% longer stay), increased dehiscence (bursting open of a surgically closed wound) and wound infection. This surgery is a horror to begin with, but if it must be done, it appears that one should have it done in a sunny season of the year, or at a sunny latitude.

An ounce of prevention is worth tons of cure in the case of obesity. Good nutrition and ample sunlight exposure is essential to optimal human health.

[i] Fleischer J, Stein EM, Bessler M, Della Badia M, Restuccia N, Olivero-Rivera L, McMahon DJ, Silverberg SJ. The decline in hip bone density after gastric bypass surgery is associated with extent of weight loss. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Oct;93(10):3735-40.

[ii] Nguyen T, Sambrook P, Kelly P, Jones G, Lord S, Freund J, Eisman J. Prediction of osteoporotic fractures by postural instability and bone density. BMJ 1993;307:1111-15.

[iii] Nguyen ND, Pongchaiyakul C, Center JR, Eisman JA, Nguyen TV. Identification of high-risk individuals for hip fracture: a 14-year prospective study. J bone Miner Res 2005;20:1921-28.

[iv] Heaney RP, Dowell MS, Hale CA, Bendich A. Calcium Absorption Varies within the Reference Range for Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D. J Am Coll Nutr 2003;22:142-46.

[v] Petersen L, Canner J, Cheskin L, Prokopowicz G, Schweitzer M, Magnuson T, Steele, K. Proxy measures of vitamin D status—season and latitude, correlate with adverse outcomes after bariatric surgery in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, 2001-2010; a retrospective cohort study. 2015;9:88-96.

Uncategorized / 12.29.2015 / No Comment

Sunlight and Prostate Cancer. Part 2

By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute…

A short time ago, we posted a blog showing that little boys who had high sunlight exposure were about 82% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who were not exposed. Now let’s take a look at additional interesting science on sunlight and prostate cancer.

Norwegian research has also demonstrated an inverse correlation between prostate cancer and sunlight when death rates from prostate, breast and colon cancer were compared to the season in which the cancer was diagnosed.^{^[i]} ^{^[ii]} Over 36 months, study subjects diagnosed during summer and fall (times of the greatest sunlight exposure and vitamin D production) had much lower death rates than those diagnosed in winter and spring.

Another indication of the influence of sunlight on prostate cancer is research on prostate specific antigen (PSA). The higher the PSA level in the blood, the greater is the chance of cancer. When the prostate gland is undergoing changes that may lead to cancer, PSA levels generally rise. Men with the lowest levels of lifetime sunlight exposure have higher PSA levels than those with the highest levels of sunlight exposure.^{^[iii]}

Nevertheless, a recent meta-analysis of studies of serum vitamin D levels and prostate cancer showed no relationship between prostate cancer and vitamin D.^{^[iv]} The reason for the discrepancy between a lowered risk of prostate cancer correlating to higher sunlight exposure but not correlating to a higher serum level of vitamin D is unknown. It is probable that the beneficial influence of sunlight on prostate cancer goes beyond its stimulation of vitamin D production in skin. And according to Dr. Cannell, the reason for the lack of a relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and prostate cancer may be because the subjects in the studies received much of their vitamin D from cod-liver oil, high in vitamin A, which has been shown to thwart the beneficial effect of vitamin D on cancer,^{^[v]} possibly due to the fact that retinol (vitamin A) competes with activated vitamin D for receptor sites.^{^[vi]} Suffice it to say that sun exposure is the safest and surest way to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Men, protect your health and your love-life by getting your share of the wonderful sun.

[i] Robsahm TE, Tretli S, Dahlback A, Moan J. Vitamin D3 from sunlight may improve the prognosis of breast-, colon- and prostate cancer (Norway). Cancer Causes Control 2004;15:149-58.

[ii] Lagunova Z, Porojnicu AC, Dahlback A, Berg JP, Beer TM, Moan J. Prostate cancer survival is dependent on season of diagnosis. Prostate 2007;67(12):1362-70.

[iii] Weinrich S, Elliaon, E, Weinrich, M, Ross, K, Reis-Starr, C. Low sun exposure and elevated serum prostate specific antigen in African American and Caucasian men. AM J Health Stud 2001;17:148-55

[iv] Lu Yin, Elke Raum, Ulrike Haug, Volker Arndt, Hermann Brenner. Meta-analysis of longitudinal studies: Serum vitamin D and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiology 2009;33: 435–45.

[v] Cannell, J. Vitamin D newsletter: February 28, 2010.

[vi] Bao Y, Ng K, Wolpin BM, Michaud DS, Giovannucci E, Fuchs CS. Predicted vitamin D status and pancreatic cancer risk in two prospective cohort studies. Br J Cancer 2010;102(9):1422-7.

Uncategorized / 12.28.2015 / No Comment

Sunlight and Type-1 Diabetes. Part 1: Great new Research

By Marc Sorenson, EdD, Sunlight Institute…

We have covered the affect to sunlight and diabetes several times, but most of the posts focused on type-2, which is the more common of the two and is becoming a pandemic. Type-2 results when the body produces plenty of insulin, but becomes resistant to its effects, leaving both blood sugar and insulin elevated. Type-1 diabetes is a totally different disease, although high blood sugar is still the result. Both of these diseases, however, correlate to low sunlight exposure. Type-2 is usually caused by atrocious eating habits and obesity, but sunlight deficiency associates with its risk. Either way, these diseases can lead to blindness, erectile dysfunction, neuropathy, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, kidney disease, amputation of limbs and death. The side-effects of diabetes are usually much more harmful than the diseases themselves.

Type-1 is a disease that afflicts many babies and young people and is sometimes known as “juvenile diabetes.” It is an autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, and is totally different in its cause from type-2, which is caused by atrocious eating habits and obesity. Type one usually happens when the body’s own immune system attacks the pancreas, rendering it useless insofar as insulin production is concerned. The consumption of cow’s milk correlates very closely to contracting the disease by babies and very young children.

Here are some facts regarding the relationship between sunlight and Type-1. Australian research shows that the incidence of type-1 diabetes correlates closely with latitude; the southernmost part of the country, which has far less availability of sunlight, has about three times the incidence as the northernmost.^{^[i]} And in Newfoundland, Canada, an extremely strong inverse correlation exists between sunlight exposure and incidence.^{^[ii]} ^{^[iii]} Similar results have been reported by Dr. Mohr and colleagues, who analyzed the correlation between type-one diabetes and sunlight exposure in 51 regions worldwide and drew the following conclusion: “An association was found between low UVB irradiance [sunlight exposure] and high incidence rates of type 1 childhood diabetes after controlling for per-capita health expenditure. Incidence rates of type 1 diabetes approached zero in regions worldwide with high UVB irradiance, adding new support to the concept of a role of vitamin D in reducing the risk of the disease.”^{^[iv]}

The latest study on type-1 and sunlight comes from Denmark, where researchers assessed the association between exposure to sunshine during gestation (pregnancy) and the risk of type 1 diabetes in Danish children at the age of 15 years.[v] The results were that more sunshine during the third gestational trimester was associated with a 40% reduced risk of contracting the disease at age 15.

Sunlight is so important for nearly every aspect of health. Be sure to take advantage of it, as it may be waiting right outside and beckoning you.

[i] Staples JA, Ponsonby AL, Lim LL, McMichael AJ. Ecologic analysis of some immune-related disorders, including type-1 diabetes, in Australia: latitude, regional ultraviolet radiation, and disease prevalence. Environmental Health Perspectives 2003;111:518-523.

[ii] Sloka S, Grant M, Newhook LA.. Time series analysis of ultraviolet B radiation and type-1 diabetes in Newfoundland. Pediatr Diabetes 2008;9:81-6.

[iii] Sloka S, Grant M, Newhook LA. The geospatial relation between UV solar radiation and type 1 diabetes in Newfoundland. Acta Diabetol 2010 M;47:73-8.

[iv] Mohr SB, Garland CF, Gorham ED, Garland FC. The association between ultraviolet B irradiance, vitamin D status and incidence rates of type 1 diabetes in 51 regions worldwide. Diabetologia. 2008;51:1391-8.

[v] Ramune Jacobsen, Peder Frederiksen, Berit L. Heitmann. Exposure to sunshine early in life prevented development of type 1 diabetes in Danish boys. Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism. December 2015 ISSN (Online).