HealthSmarts: The right way to get a tan

NEW YORK, May 31 (UPI) -- Spring is in full bloom, at least here in New York, and the sun-drenched days are visibly beckoning people outdoors. I've always found that people seem, on the whole, happier and more relaxed when they manage to soak in a few rays of sun. In a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers speculate that sun-seeking behavior could in part be motivated by the release of beta-endorphins in skin cells resulting in a kind of "tanner's high" following exposure to solar UV-rays.

Beta-endorphins are neurotransmitters produced by the body's nerve cells that promote a feeling of well-being, increased relaxation and reduction in pain by acting on certain opioid receptors in the body. An increase in these neurotransmitters has been linked to a boost in the immune system and the ability to kill cancer cells.

While the message that public health proponents and dermatologists have been pounding into everyone's heads concerning the dangers of ultra violet rays as the primary cause for skin cancers, premature aging and the development of cataracts is not to be discredited, these risks have been overstated and the potential benefits of exposure (in moderation) have been largely ignored. The scientific evidence has been accumulating that getting moderate doses of sunlight has a positive impact on our health.

Exposure to UVB radiation is a major source of vitamin D, which is actually a hormone. We can derive more vitamin D from 10 minutes of sunlight than through a glass of milk. Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium from our food to strengthen bones. It also plays a role in killing microbes such as bacteria and viruses by increasing the production of an antimicrobial protein.

Some other diseases that sunlight-induced production of vitamin D helps to protect against include tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes and hormone-dependent cancers such as breast cancer. It also has been shown to help heal psoriasis, a difficult-to-treat disorder of the skin.

Researchers see a genoprotective effect in the tanning response. When rays of sunlight hit certain molecules in the skin cells, chemical reactions occur leading to an accumulation of melanin granules that protect against the damaging effects of UVB radiation on the genes.

In moderation a little sun seems to do more good than harm -- at least our skin cells seem to have adapted with a built-in protective response. So go out and get your daily 10-minute dose of healthy sun. Just don't forget that too much of a good thing may backfire.

Sunburn is a sure sign that your body's innate protective defenses have been overwhelmed, and for those seeking prolonged tanning by the pool, at the beach or in the park, application of suntan lotion with a high protective factor is still the best defense. Some drugs, including certain antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents for treatment of cancer, can cause unwanted reactions with sunlight, and exposure to sun under these circumstances is not recommended.

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(Karen Dente is a physician-writer based in New York whose online bylines have also appeared in Reuters Health, HealthDay News and Medscape of WebMD.)

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(The medical information provided in this column is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any questions regarding a medical condition, always seek the advice of a medical doctor or other qualified health provider.)

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(e-mail: consumerhealth@upi.com)