By Marc Sorenson, EdD. Sunlight Institute….
While reading one of Dr. Michael Holick’s latest publications,[1] I was intrigued that he quoted from a book published in 1915 called The Mortality from Cancer throughout the World.[2] That book stated that indoor workers had 8 times the risk of dying of cancer compared to outdoor workers. Would this old study make you want to avoid sun exposure? Not unless you have a death wish!
Then, in 1937 Dr. Sigismund Peller determined that deadly internal cancers were 40% less common among people who spent long hours in the sun.[3] A few years later Dr. Frank Apperley did research that demonstrated the following: North American death rates for major cancers among the inhabitants of cities between 30˚ and 40˚ north latitude were 85% higher than death rates among inhabitants of cities between 10˚ and 30˚; inhabitants of cities between 40˚ and 50˚ north latitude had cancer death rates 118% higher than those between 10˚ and 30˚; inhabitants between 50˚ and 60˚ had death rates from internal cancers 150% higher than those between 10˚ and 30˚.[4]
There have been myriad studies in modern times, and one of the most compelling demonstrated that among women who totally covered themselves and thereby had no sun exposure, there was a more than a 10-times increase in the risk of the breast cancer.[5] Stated in another way, that is a 1,000% increase in risk due to sun deficiency.
Do you think it is about time that we decided that sunlight is good for us? Just be sure not to burn.
[1] Holick, M. Biological Effects of Sunlight, Ultraviolet Radiation, Visible Light, Infrared Radiation and Vitamin D for Health. Anticancer Research 36: 1345-1356 (2016).
[2] Hoffman F The mortality from cancer throughout the world, Newark, N.J., The Prudential Press, 1915.
[3] Peller S. Carcinogenesis as a means of reducing cancer mortality. Lancet 1936; 2:552-56.
[4] Apperley, F. The relation of solar radiation to cancer mortality in North America. Cancer Res 1941;1:191-95.
[5] 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.