For years, we’ve been told—and told our readers, too—about the detrimental effects of the sun and what it can do to our skin. But a new study, recently published in Dermato-Endocrinology, states that there may be other advantages to UV sun exposure that you might not even know of.
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According to the article, “Data shows that increasing number of Americans suffer from serious health problems caused by insufficient sun exposure.” While we know that a lack of sun exposure can cause low levels of vitamin D, it’s also now believed that avoiding the sun can cause other issues like various cancers, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimers, dementia, macular degeneration, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.
It’s important to know just how much sun exposure is necessary to reap the benefits. For the most part, it’s recommended to get about 15 minutes of sun two to three times a week (half that time if you’re wearing a bathing suit and have more skin exposed). You still want to make sure that you don’t get burned to maintain your serum 25hydroxyvitaminD levels at 30mL. And, of course, wearing sunscreen is critical.
