UK Health Radio – Medical News Update Sun Addiction

UK Health Radio – Medical News Update

Sun Addiction

News today that spending time basking in the sun might actually be addictive.  This claim comes following research conducted in the USA. The study that was published in the journal Cell, has shown that exposure to sunlight leads to the production of endorphins in the skin.

The Harvard Medical School team who conducted the research said their experiments on mice showed that repeated UV exposure led to addiction in the animals.

Other scientists however have said that calling it an "addiction" was going too far but there have been previous suggestions that people can get addicted to the sun.

The research showed that the UV radiation led to the production of a protein in the skin that was then broken down into the pigment melanin, the pigment that produces a tan, but the team showed that endorphins were also produced. The chemicals act on the same systems in the body as other opioids such as heroin and morphine and giving the mice the drugs used to block opioids, which are used in rehab clinics, led to withdrawal symptoms that included shaking and tremors.

The mice then started to avoid the place where the drugs were being administered, which the researchers said was a hallmark of addictive behaviour.

But their experiments do not show the mice actively seeking out the UV light in the same manner as a drug addict.  Other scientists are not convinced, putting forward the argument that if people were sun-addicted then they would be giving up their family lives to get access to sunshine, you would have people who lose their jobs because they spend their day on the beach and British people would go on holiday to the south of France and would never come back.

The fact is that while we all need some sun for strong and healthy bones, when the sun is strong it's important to spend time in the shade and cover up with clothing. Sunscreen with at least SPF15 and a high star rating can help protect the parts you can't cover and we should avoid using sun beds.

Amanda Thomas

UK Health Radio - Medical News Update

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