Research on Vitamin D Changing the Reputation of Indoor Tanning

Jamee Clasen
September 19, 2006

People are just better looking when they are tan.

At least that’s the opinion of senior James Card and freshman Jaryd Cabieles. And they aren’t the only ones. The indoor tanning business is a multi-million dollar industry that attracts more than one million Americans every day. Of course, critics of tanning are quick to point out the harmful risks involved with “fake baking;” we’ve been hearing the warning signs for decades. Skin cancer, vision damage, wrinkles and premature aging of the skin are just a few of the reasons people have been warned to slather on the sunscreen.

However, recent studies should ease the minds of tanning critics and fans alike. In fact, with surprising new research piling up, some doctors are not only condoning the occasional vitamin-D-boosting tan, but are also encouraging it. In his book “The UV Advantage,” Dr. Michael F. Holick, professor of medicine, dermatology and biophysics at the Boston University Medical Center, details research and studies that conclude ultraviolet (UV) exposure actually saves many more lives than it harms. UV radiation, which comes from sunlight and artificial tanning beds, stimulates production of vitamin D in the human body. This is important for several reasons. “Without the vitamin D that comes almost entirely from the sun, your bones could not obtain the calcium they need to be strong,” Holick said in his book. Although vitamin D occurs naturally in foods such as tuna, salmon and some types of milk, diet accounts for very little of the vitamin circulating in the blood. Holick concluded that sufficient amounts of vitamin D from UV exposure can help combat harmful conditions such as osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

UNO baseball player Gene LeDuc said he used the sunlight to heal his elbow after having Tommy John surgery on it last year. He said he was made aware of the healing effects of vitamin D from his former baseball coach, and a nutrition class he took his freshmen year.

“I basically just relaxed on a recliner, and put the part of my elbow that had been operated on toward the sun so I would get the best sunlight,” said LeDuc. So far, he said, it seems to be working. “I’ve been ahead of schedule as far as recovery goes … I think it did help quite a bit.” Sunlight has also been proven as a successful treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression beginning in the fall or winter that affects approximately seven to 10 percent of Americans each year.“About this time of the year, when the days start getting shorter and the weather gets dreary outside, tanning is good for our moods because it helps alleviate SAD,” said Tracie Cunningham, executive vice president of Ashley Lynn’s Tanning. Holick said people of African descent are especially inclined to become vitamin D deficient. Increased amounts of melanin in their skin act as a sunscreen, which means they must remain in the sun longer to get sufficient amounts of the vitamin. Consequently, between 40 and 60 percent of all African American adults are vitamin D deficient, he said. Luckily, the best preventative mechanism is simple: “Increase your exposure to sunlight.” When tanning outdoors, Holick suggests applying sunscreen after exposing your skin to the minimum amount of sunlight it needs to build and maintain vitamin D levels. The exact amount is dependent on skin type, where a person lives, time of day and other factors. Not everyone agrees with the new research. According to an article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, the number of cases of skin cancer has increased at a rate of five percent per year over the past 25 years, and tanning is partially to blame.

“Long-term exposure to the sun and to artificial sources of ultraviolet light contributes to the risk of developing skin cancer,” according to the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site, ftc.org. The site also warns that overexposure to UV rays can damage the retina, burn the cornea and assist in the formation of cataracts. To prevent this type of damage, the FDA requires all tanners to wear tanning goggles, which protect the eyes from some, but not all, of the UV rays. Junior Kailey Pruss says she is fully aware of the risks involved with tanning. She said she likes to tan because of the way it looks, and because she finds it relaxing.

“I feel if I only go once or twice a week and avoid going to the point of sunburn, I should be OK,” she said. “It takes four hours outside to acquire what you can get in 15 minutes in a tanning bed.” “I think it’s OK for special occasions,” said freshman Lauren Torres, “but other than that, I don’t think you should go more than two to three times a week.” Torres said she usually tans for special occasions, and just before summer begins. “People have been telling us that tanning is bad forever,” said Cunningham, who has worked at Ashley Lynn’s Tanning for about 13 years. “It’s nice to see that now we can look ahead and see its positive effects, and that people are starting to agree with the research.”

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