title: Can UV exposure reduce mortality?
abstract: A Swedish cohort analysis in this issue (1) demonstrates a significant reduction in all cause mortality and in cardiovascular mortality associated with several measures of sun exposure. In addition, ultraviolet exposure from tanning beds is associated with a significant increase in all cause mortality and cancer mortality. A potential explanation for the protective association is that UV exposure results in high levels of serum vitamin D which may improve survival. However, that explanation does not hold for ultraviolet exposure from tanning beds, which in this study is associated with a significant increase in all cause mortality and cancer mortality. Such a finding is curious and inconsistent with a vitamin D hypothesis. These results should impel investigators to study further the biology of ultraviolet radiation, both natural and artificial, and its health effects.
authors: University of New Mexico Cancer Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, USA. mberwick@salud.unm.edu
authors: Marianne
authors: M
authors: Berwick
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D