How good is sunscreen really?

It's no secret that the sun (in the right amount) brings all sorts of benefits to our health, including the production of vital vitamin D.

Now that summer has started again, many people are looking for the best sunscreens to reduce the risk of sunburn, premature skin ageing and potential skin cancer. So the best thing you can do in summer is to apply sunscreen regularly and extensively - or is it?

How good is sunscreen really? 

1. sun cream = protection

Yes, sunscreen protects us. One of the first sun creams was created in 1938 by Swiss pioneer Franz Greiter. He suffered such severe sunburn while climbing Piz Buin that he took this as an opportunity to develop a glacier cream. Today, the products of the then young chemistry student are known under the Piz Buin brand.

A sunscreen has two purposes, firstly to filter UV radiation and secondly to protect against free radicals with the help of antioxidants. UV-B rays in particular are often the focus of attention, as they are excessively responsible for the development of sunburn and therefore a greater risk of skin cancer.

But this is exactly what the body needs to produce vitamin D!

2. sunscreen = vitamin D deficiency

In recent years, it has always been advised to wear a high sun protection factor to reduce the risk of skin cancer. Because every sunburn is harmful.

However, studies show that wearing sunscreen on a regular basis can massively impair vitamin D production. 

So if we don't replenish our vitamin D stores even in summer, we develop a vitamin D deficiency in the long term. A lack of sunlight can be even more harmful to us than too much sun and increases the risk of a number of diseases such as depression, cardiovascular problems, cancer and diabetes.

➤ A Swedish study found that the mortality rate is twice as high for people who avoid the sun!

How can you counteract this?

Whether or not sunscreen inhibits large-scale vitamin D formation is currently the subject of much debate. What is clear, however, is that sunscreen intercepts UV-B radiation, which is essential for the formation of vitamin D.

To counteract this, you should play it safe and soak up the sun several times a week without sun cream to help your body produce vitamin D.

➤ "Doesn't it give you sunburn?"

No, that's what our self-protection is for!

Self-protection is the amount of time you can spend in the sun without damaging your skin. Depending on your skin type, the length of your own protection varies. Your body can produce between 1,000 and 10,000 IU of vitamin D per day. According to experts, we need around 5,000 I.U. a day. If this does not happen through sunbathing, a supplement can also help (ideally combined with vitamin K2).

However, please note the following:

• The time of day makes a difference: the midday hours from 10 am to 3 pm are ideal for vitamin D formation. After that, the sun is lower and no longer penetrates the skin as effectively. However, if you have exhausted your own protection, you should always spend your time in the shade to avoid sun damage.
• Beware, you can also get sunburnt in the shade, when the sky is cloudy or when wearing long clothing.

➤ European skin types: 

How can you naturally increase your own protection?

As many of us are very sensitive to the sun or fair-skinned (European skin type), the question arises as to how we can naturally increase our own protection to make our skin generally more resistant to UV rays.

1. Get your skin used to the sun early and sunbathe regularly: Get your skin used to the sun slowly and regularly as early as spring. This stimulates the skin's own natural protection and the storage of melanin (the body's own coloring substance as natural protection against UV radiation) begins.
2. Nutrition: You can increase your own protection with carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene. These are found in carrots, red peppers and tomatoes. Cook the vegetables with butter or vegetable oil.
3. Food supplement: Vitamin C Vitamin E, zinc or astaxanthin can also protect your skin from harmful UV rays in large quantities. Thanks to their high antioxidant content, they make the skin more resistant and help to protect the cell DNA.

Our pro tip:

Astaxanthin is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants from the sea. Even krill use the algae to protect themselves from the sun. As a result, krill oil also has a high astaxanthin content in addition to valuable omega 3 fatty acids.

The powerful antioxidant acts as a reliable, supportive sunscreen from the inside. In Hawaii, for example, it is already part of the standard range of products used by athletes to protect themselves from the scorching sun.

Astaxanthin is 550 times more potent than vitamin E and 6,000 times more potent than vitamin C.

Conclusion:

Whether too much sun or too little, both can be harmful to your health in extreme cases. Find the middle way!

➤ To make the most of the summer, you should consider the following:

• Increase your own protection with the help of nutrition, supplements and acclimatizing your skin to the sun.
• Take advantage of your own protection for vitamin D production, but do not stay in the sun longer than it allows.
• Use sunscreen sensibly: if used correctly, you minimize your risk of skin cancer. But pay attention to the ingredients, as they may contain chemical UV filters, hormonally active substances, etc. Apps such as CodeCheck or ToxFox provide information.

Always be aware of the dangers of the sun and do not expose your skin to more sun than it can tolerate. But don't forget that you need the sun for your health and regularly top up on vitamin D thanks to self-protection!

 

Sources (in English):

Padayatty, S. J., Katz, A., Wang, Y., Eck, P., Kwon, O., Lee, J. H. et al. (2003, February). Vitamin C as an antioxidant: evaluation of its role in disease prevention. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 22(1):18-35

Powell, S. R. (2000, May). The antioxidant properties of zinc. The Journal of Nutrition, 130(5S Suppl):1447S-54S, doi: 10.1093/jn/130.5.1447S

Bagchi, D., Bagchi, M., Stohs, S. J., Das, D. K., Ray, S. D., Kuszynski, C. A. et al. (2000, August). Free radicals and grape seed proanthocyanidin extract: importance in human health and disease prevention, Toxicology, 148(2-3):187-97

Staud, R. (2005, October). Vitamin D: more than just affecting calcium and bone. Current Rheumatology Reports, 7(5):356-64

Anglin, R. E., Samaan, Z., Walter, S. D. & McDonald, S. D. (2013, Feburary). Vitamin D deficiency and depression in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry : The Journal of Mental Science, 202:100-7, doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.111.106666

Hauschka, P. V. (1986). Osteocalcin: the vitamin K-dependent Ca2+-binding protein of bone matrix. Haemostasis, 16(3-4):258-72, doi: 10.1159/000215298

Holick, M. F. & Chen, T. C. (2008, April). Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(4):1080S-6S, doi: 10.1093/ajcn/87.4.1080S 

Penckofer, S., Kouba, J., Byrn, M. & Ferrans, C. 2011, June). Vitamin D and Depression: Where is all the Sunshine? Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 31(6): 385–393, doi: 10.3109/01612840903437657