Can Sunlight Ward Off Cancer?

by WiredBerries Editors — November 1, 2007

It might seem like the Catch 22 of the century, but researchers are saying that sunlight may help prevent cancer. In fact, scientists found in a recent study that exposure to sunlight could decrease the risk of advanced breast cancer by half! The research team from the Northern California Cancer Center, the University of Southern California, and Wake Forest University School of Medicine found that increased exposure to sunlight leads to the increased natural production of vitamin D in the body, which appears to be the effective agent at preventing certain types of cancer.

"We believe that sunlight helps to reduce women's risk of breast cancer because the body manufactures the active form of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight,"" said Esther John, Ph.D., lead researcher on the study from the Northern California Cancer Center.

The new findings about breast cancer risk and sun exposure is consistent with previous research that found that women who reported frequent sun exposure had a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women with infrequent sun exposure. But what about the risk of developing skin cancer from sun exposure?

The researchers warned that because of that risk, women should not try to reduce their risk of breast cancer by sunbathing. Fortunately, sunlight is not the only source of vitamin D. It can also be obtained from multivitamins, fatty fish, and fortified foods such as milk, certain cereals, and fruit juices. With further research, the team expects to find that eating foods rich in Vitamin D, or taking vitamin D supplements, will have the same positive effect without the risks of sun exposure.