The sun is good for the heart
Exposing the skin to sunlight lowers blood pressure, according to a new scientific study.
Cardiovascular disease, often associated with high blood pressure, is a major public health problem, accounting for 30% of deaths worldwide each year. In Sweden, it is estimated that 1.8 million people suffer from high blood pressure.
According to new findings recently published in the scientific journal Journal of Investigative Dermatology, there is evidence that simply being in the sun can lower blood pressure.
In the test, 24 healthy people received a dose of ultraviolet UVA light equivalent to about 30 minutes in natural sunlight. When the skin was exposed to the light, nitric oxide was released which dilated the blood vessels, leading to a reduction in blood pressure.
In addition to the vitamin D effect, Richard Weller and his colleagues hypothesized that the metabolite nitric oxide (NO) contributed to the regulation of blood pressure. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator that is abundant in the skin.
The researchers behind the study therefore suggest reassessing the risks and benefits of sunlight in public health advice.
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