Vitamin UVB: The Missing Nutrient
In the quest for better health, we've often heard about the benefits of Vitamin D, but what if UVB radiation is the real hero? Recent studies suggest that many benefits attributed to Vitamin D might actually be due to UVB exposure. This is a classic case of correlation versus causality: while Vitamin D supplements are beneficial, they cannot fully replicate the advantages of UVB radiation.
The Unique Benefits of UVB
1. Cancer Prevention: UVB exposure has been shown to lower the risk of 12 types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colon cancer. The exact mechanisms are still being studied, but it is believed that UVB helps modulate the immune response and reduce tumor growth.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-11362-2
2. Mental Health: UVB light can reduce depression and anxiety and improve overall mood. Sunlight exposure triggers the release of endorphins and serotonin, chemicals in the brain that enhance mood and promote a sense of well-being.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12396
3. COVID-19 Protection: Emerging research suggests that UVB light may help protect against COVID-19 by enhancing the immune response and potentially reducing viral load on the skin.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/phpp.12396
4. Autoimmune Diseases: UVB radiation helps lower the incidence of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, vitiligo, and psoriasis. This is thought to be due to UVB's ability to modulate the immune system and reduce inflammatory responses.
https://www.msaustralia.org.au/news/how-uv-radiation-suppresses-autoimmunity/
5. Bone Health: While Vitamin D supplements are known to increase calcium absorption and improve bone health, UVB light does this more effectively by directly stimulating the production of active Vitamin D in the skin.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-11362-2
6. Skin and Gut Microbiome: UVB light improves the skin's microbiome, which can help with skin conditions and overall skin health. It also has positive effects on the gut microbiome, which is crucial for digestion and immune function.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6821880/
7. Weight Management: UVB exposure has been shown to prevent weight gain by improving metabolic function and reducing fat accumulation, even in high-fat diet models.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33351211/
8. Hormonal Balance: Regular UVB exposure can increase testosterone levels and libido, enhancing reproductive health and overall vitality.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8411113/
9. Sleep Improvement: UVB light helps regulate circadian rhythms, improving sleep quality and reducing the risk of sleep disorders.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33351211/
10. Cognitive Function: Exposure to UVB radiation has been linked to improved memory and cognitive function, possibly due to its role in stimulating brain activity and promoting mental clarity.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0092867418305075
11. Skin Conditions: UVB treatment has been proven to heal skin conditions such as vitiligo and psoriasis, highlighting its therapeutic potential in dermatology.
The Modern Dilemma
The rise in many of these health issues can be attributed to our modern sun-deprived lifestyles. Up to 40% of the U.S. population cannot absorb oral Vitamin D effectively due to gastrointestinal inflammatory diseases like IBS, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. This makes natural sunlight or UVB light therapy crucial for these individuals.
With more time spent indoors and the widespread use of unnatural white LED solutions that lack UV and infrared light, we are missing out on the natural benefits of sunlight. Instead of relying heavily on medicines, a simple solution could be increased natural sunlight exposure or using a lamp like the Mitolux Sunlamp, which emulates the full light spectrum of the sun.
Conclusion
While Vitamin D supplements are valuable, they cannot fully replace the comprehensive benefits of UVB radiation. Embracing safe sun exposure or UVB light therapy could unlock a myriad of health benefits that Vitamin D alone cannot provide. It's time to recognize UVB as the missing nutrient in our wellness routines.
Finally if that doesn’t convince you enough go read this paper that was originally designed how sun exposure was bad for health but the results proved the opposite: avoiding the sun is as dangerous as smoking
How to get UVB benefits at home
Nothing beats the sun, but if your lifestyle doesn’t allow you to spend too much time outdoors or if you live above latitude 32 (90% of USA and 95% of Europe), your best bet would be to use the Mitolux Sunlamp ®.
The Mitolux Sunlamp ® gives you all the benefits of UVB in a natural manner, as it also includes RED and NIR (as in nature). It doubles as a RED Light Therapy device for skin anti-aging and many more benefits. All this takes only around 3-5 minutes a day to get your daily dose of sunshine (it also doubles as a skin rejuvenating Red light Therapy device)
To learn more about the Mitolux Sunlamp ® and get your 10% discount with the code LONGEVITY10, visit mitolux.com