SUNSHINE MAY SLOW WEIGHT GAIN, DIABETES ONSET
Exposure to moderate
amounts of sunshine may slow the development of obesity and diabetes, a study
suggests.
Scientists who looked
at the effect of sunlight on mice say further research will be needed to
confirm whether it has the same effect on people.
The researchers showed
that shining UV light at overfed mice slowed their weight gain. The mice
displayed fewer of the warning signs linked to diabetes, such as abnormal
glucose levels and resistance to insulin.
The beneficial effects
of UV treatment were linked to a compound called nitric oxide, which is
released by the skin after exposure to sunlight. Applying a cream containing
nitric oxide to the skin of the overfed mice had the same effect of curbing
weight gain as exposure to UV light, the team found.
Vitamin D -- which is
produced by the body in response to sunlight and often lauded for its health
benefits -- did not play a role, the study found.
The team says the new
findings add to the growing body of evidence that supports the health benefits
of moderate exposure to the sun's rays.
Previous studies in
people have shown that nitric oxide can lower blood pressure after exposure to
UV lamps.
The results should be
interpreted cautiously, the researchers say, as mice are nocturnal animals
covered in fur and not usually exposed to much sunlight. Studies are needed to
confirm whether sunshine exposure has the same effect on weight gain and risk
of diabetes in people.
Researchers at the
Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Western Australia, led the study in
collaboration with the Universities of Edinburgh and Southampton.
Dr Shelley Gorman, of
the Telethon Kids Institute and lead author of the study, said: "Our
findings are important as they suggest that casual skin exposure to sunlight,
together with plenty of exercise and a healthy diet, may help prevent the
development of obesity in children."
"These
observations further indicate that the amounts of nitric oxide released from
the skin may have beneficial effects not only on heart and blood vessels but
also on the way our body regulates metabolism," Dr Martin Feelisch,
Professor of Experimental Medicine and Integrative Biology at the University of
Southampton, added.
Dr Richard Weller,
Senior Lecturer in Dermatology at the University of Edinburgh, said: "We
know from epidemiology studies that sun-seekers live longer than those who
spend their lives in the shade. Studies such as this one are helping us to
understand how the sun can be good for us. We need to remember that skin cancer
is not the only disease that can kill us and should perhaps balance our advice
on sun exposure."
The research is
published in the journal Diabetes.
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