Improving morale, regulating the internal clock, boosting our immune system… The sun has many health benefits. According to a recent study, exposing yourself to the sun could help prevent the onset of multiple sclerosis.
- About 100,000 patients are affected by multiple sclerosis in France.
- Exposure to the sun would increase vitamin D levels and prevent multiple sclerosis.
In France, approximately 100,000 people are affected by multiple sclerosis, including 700 children, and 2,000 to 3,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, according to Health Insurance. According to work carried out by American and Australian researchers, it would be possible to prevent multiple sclerosis by exposing oneself to the sun. The results of this study were published in the journal neurology December 8.
To reach this conclusion, the scientists conducted their research with 332 patients aged 3 to 22, who had multiple sclerosis for seven months, and 534 people who did not suffer from this autoimmune disease. They compared their duration of exposure to the sun using a questionnaire. According to the data, 19% of sufferers said they spent less than 30 minutes a day outdoors during the previous summer, compared to 6% for people without multiple sclerosis. Based on this information, they assessed the risk of developing this pathology.
An increase in vitamin D levels
According to the results, spending more time outdoors was associated with a reduced likelihood of developing multiple sclerosis. “Sun exposure is known to increase vitamin D levels,” said Emmanuelle Waubant, study co-author and professor in the department of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, USA.
Sun exposure “Also stimulates immune cells in the skin which play a protective role against diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Vitamin D may also alter the biological function of immune cells and as such play a role in protection against autoimmune diseases”she added.
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