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MSNBC on Sunlight

In a recent news segment, MSNBC reported the movement toward the benefits of sunlight. After years of scaring people into thinking sunlight was bad for us, doctors are now open to the idea that moderate exposure to sunlight may actually reduce cancer risks.

Click the image below to view the report.

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Americans may be overdoing their sun protection and denying their bodies important vitamin D, NBC Nightly News reported today.

"I believe that Americans have gone overboard with their fear of the sun. I think that sensible exposure to sunlight is really important for your overall health and well-being," Boston University's Dr. Michael Holick told NBC. Holick discovered the active form of vitamin D in the 1970s, and is widely regarded as the world's leading vitamin D expert.

Holick pointed out that people need 1,000 units of vitamin D a day, but a glass of milk supplies only 100 units and a multivitamin only 400. "So most people need the sun in order to avoid deficiency," the network reported.

The consequences of low vitamin D levels start with low bone density, a condition that is a precursor to osteoporosis, a disease that affects 25 million Americans. Other diseases, such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer and ovarian cancer, may in fact be inhibited by vitamin D, recent research suggests.

Holick's work shows that vitamin D deficiency is nearly epidemic in American society today, but those who get regular UV exposure, including those who use indoor tanning equipment, have higher vitamin D levels and higher bone density.

The professional indoor tanning industry promotes sunburn prevention as the best way to harness any benefits of regular UV exposure while minimizing the risks and teaches tanners the proper use of sunscreen outdoors. But, as Holick points out in the story, over-using sunscreen can inhibit or prevent vitamin D production.

For more information on the story, visit MSNBC's web site at www.msnbc.com