Does it cause or protect against cancer? What they don't tell you about sunlight exposure

It is common knowledge that strong sunlight is harmful to human health and causes worrying problems such as wrinkles, sun spots and skin cancer (with estimates showing that more than 5.4 million cases of basal and squamous cell skin cancer are diagnosed each year in United States, affecting approximately 3.3 million people). Accordingly, in theory, we should avoid too much sun exposure (especially at midday), and should cover ourselves in layers and sunscreen – never mind that many conventional sunscreens contain cancer-causing chemicals!

But what if we found out that sunlight has been shown to have a protective effect against cancer? What if there are benefits to sunlight that we may be missing out on because we're too worried about getting too much?
Throwing new light on the sun?

INCREASING SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE CAN ACTUALLY REDUCE THE RISK OF CERTAIN CANCER BY 50% While it is true that avoiding excessive sun exposure can help us avoid skin cancer, not getting enough has been shown to have negative consequences and can actually increase the risk of other types of cancer, including breast, colon and prostate.
 As the latest research suggests, allowing our skin to be exposed to sunlight is the best way for our bodies to produce vitamin D. This vitamin acts as a key hormone in the body and is involved in hundreds of key physiological processes that we need to survive and thrive – including immune function.
 It follows that low levels of vitamin D have been consistently linked to problems ranging from metabolic syndrome to cardiovascular disease to mood disorders…and the link between vitamin D and cancer has also long been known. According to a narrative review paper published last year in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients, a study from the late 1930s involving the US Navy found that sailors with frequent sun exposure had 8 times the typical skin cancer rate, but only 40% the expected internal rate cancers.
And in the 1970s, American researchers noticed an important geographic trend—colon cancer rates were higher in northeastern states where there is less sun in the winter (and what winter sun is available can't help us produce as much vitamin D because of its angle in the sky). . As subject expert Michael Holick wrote in his 2008 paper in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, data suggest that “there is a 30 to 50% reduction in the risk of developing colon, breast, and prostate cancer by increasing vitamin D intake at least 1,000 IU [daily] vitamin D or increasing sun exposure to raise [vitamin D] blood levels >30 ng/ml.” A leading theory is that vitamin D helps with key cancer-fighting processes in the body, including inhibiting the growth and spread of tumor cells. By the way, have you ever wondered what is considered vitamin D deficiency?

While many in the scientific community consider deficient blood levels to be less than 12 ng/mL, other experts report a higher number, from 20 to 29 ng/mL. If you're curious, consider getting a comprehensive blood test from a trusted health care provider, such as a functional medicine doctor, or simply purchase a vitamin D test kit yourself. Cancer controversy or not, here are some other well-known benefits of sun exposure.
The main takeaway here is that we shouldn't be afraid of the sun – just be smart with the sun! Here are some of the known benefits of moderate sun exposure: Improved sleep – actually, getting outside and looking at the early morning sun can help normalize your body's circadian rhythm (your “internal clock”) … which means if you want to fall asleep more easily at night, you really need to start making habit changes morning! Improved mood Improved bone health (probably via vitamin D production)
Potential for additional protective benefits (also through vitamin D production) against other common chronic diseases, including hypertension, type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis (like some cancers, many of these conditions are also found at higher frequencies among populations that live in more northern latitudes)
So what is the "right" amount of sun exposure? Keep in mind that this depends on several factors, such as your geographic location and the color of your skin, as these factors can affect how much vitamin D your body will be able to produce in response to sunlight. But the general recommendation is about 10 to 20 minutes in midday sun during spring and summer (or 25 to 40 minutes for people with darker skin) and more than two hours during winter in northern climates (hence the importance of vitamin D supplements.
written by: Sara Middleton, Editor | April 12, 2023 exposure to sunlight (NaturalHealth365)

Sources for this article:
NIH.gov
NIH.gov
NIH.gov
Cancer.org
Harvard.edu
sciencedirect.com
GoodRx.com