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Exposure to sun may help ward off arthritis
Added: (Sun May 04 2008)
We often read of the dangers of over-exposure to the sun, but avoiding it completely can lead to arthritis, according to a national arthritis charity.
Sunshine is crucial if the body is to produce the vitamin D required to ward off degenerative conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis, warns The Arthritic Association. Earlier this year, American rheumatologist James E. Dowd published details of his use of vitamin D in treating arthritic patients. But according to The Arthritic Association, supplementation alone is not the answer.
“The body needs sunshine in order to synthesise the vitamin D required for optimum health,” explains The Arthritic Association’s John Wedlake-Griffiths. “Although you could take a vitamin D supplement, it’s easy to overdose, and that can be counter-productive. So moderate exposure to sunlight is better – for example, earlier or later in the day, for short periods of time.”
Vitamin D plays an active role in the absorption of calcium. The National Osteoporosis Society advises that low levels of vitamin D are associated with the development of osteoporosis, and a recent study linked low levels of vitamin D to Type 1 diabetes. The indications are that the body's immune system is more robust when we are exposed to sunlight, but weakened when over-exposed.
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Notes to editors
Founded in 1942, The Arthritic Association (www.arthriticassociation.org.uk) is a registered charity dedicated to helping relieve people from the pain of arthritis through natural methods.
References
The Vitamin D Cure, James Dowd, Wiley, 2008
Vitamin D Supplementation in Early Childhood and Risk of Type 1 Diabetes: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, Archives of Disease in Childhood, March 2008
National Osteoporosis Society Information Sheet:
http://www.nos.org.uk/dr_media/nos/Vitamin_D_28-Apr-08.pdf
Vitamin D reduces risk of type 1 diabetes (UCL Institute of Child Health)
http://www.ich.ucl.ac.uk/pressoffice/pressrelease_00108