14 DAY TRIAL // Apart from getting a very appealing tan, people who spend a lot of time exposed to sunlight are likely to live longer and avoid various health conditions.
A study carried out by University of Edinburgh researchers says that exposure to sunlight can slash a person's risks of suffering either a heart attack or a stroke at some point in their lives.
Furthermore, it helps reduce their blood pressure, EurekAlert says.
More precisely, sunlight triggers the release of a compound known as nitric oxide, which helps keep blood pressure well under control.
Although it is true that exposure to sunlight can up one's chances of developing skin cancer, these specialists maintain that the health benefits of short tanning sessions might outweigh any risks.
“The work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this, and also explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight,” Dr. Richard Weller said.
“We now plan to look at the relative risks of heart disease and skin cancer in people who have received different amounts of sun exposure. If this confirms that sunlight reduces the death rate from all causes, we will need to reconsider our advice on sun exposure,” said specialist went on to argue.