As per the latest research, exposure of the skin to sunlight causes it to release a compound that lowers blood pressure. This miracle compound Nitric Oxide is released by the blood vessels.
As the benefits of lower blood pressure easily outnumber the chances of developing skin cancer, sunlight is indeed beneficial to one’s health. Statistics state that high blood pressure, which leads to stroke and heart disease, causes 80 times more deaths than skin cancer does. A recent study carried out by the University of Edinburgh suggests so.
The production of Nitric Oxide is quite different from that of Vitamin D. The latter is produced after exposure to the sun’s rays. Until now, it was considered to be the sole benefit of sunlight to the body. With this research, the benefits have been found to extend far beyond the manufacture of Vitamin D.
In the research, the blood pressure of 24 volunteers who were seated under tanning lamps for two 20-minute sessions each was measured. During the first session, volunteers were exposed to both the heat of the lamp and UV rays. In the second one, they were exposed only to the heat. Blood pressure was found to be lower after the sessions of exposure to UV rays and heat but not in those with exposure to heat alone. The Vitamin D levels did not change in either session. This shows that the UV rays of the sun are the cause of health benefits.
Exposure to sunlight has the following benefits.
- Releases endorphins, which improve energy levels and mood
- Synchronizes the biorhythm, regulates melatonin better
- Helps treat skin diseases including atopic dermatitis, schleroderma, psoriases and vitiligo and also infections resistant to antibitotics
- Suppresses symptoms of MS and fibromyalgia
- Treatment of T-cell lymphoma, neonatal jaundice and tuberculosis
Nitric Oxide is essential to the human body as it not only helps maintain blood pressure but also modulates the functioning of the immune system and prevents atherosclerosis. The skin stores nitrate and nitrite in large amounts.
However, only nitrites are biologically active. Sunlight helps convert nitrates to nitrites and nitric oxide. Nitric oxide regulates blood pressure, thereby enhancing the flow of blood. This, in turn, ensures smoother physiological processes in the body. It also decreases the risk of coronary heart disease by keeping arteries free of plaque.
Dr Richard Weller, a senior lecturer on dermatology at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We suspect that the benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer”. The study conducted might account for this and also explain why Vitamin D supplements alone cannot make up for lack of exposure to sunlight. If further research confirms this, then scientists will have to reconsider their advice on exposure to sunlight.
