| A recent study into the effects of caffeine | | | | cups of coffee for humans. Another group of |
| seems to indicate that the risk of some skin | | | | mice was dosed with caffeine and made to |
| cancers can be reduced by consuming moderate | | | | exercise on a running wheel. A third group of mice |
| amounts of caffeine. The mechanism or trigger | | | | just used the running wheel and still a fourth |
| appears to involve skin cells that are in a | | | | group or control group was given neither exercise |
| precancerous stage due in part to overexposure | | | | nor caffeine. |
| to ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation or UV | | | | The researchers stressed that the conclusions |
| rays are a product of the sun and the specific UV | | | | were certainly reason for further study. The |
| rays referred to in the study were UVB rays | | | | experiment seemed to indicate a correlation |
| which oscillate at a slightly slower rate than UVA | | | | between ingesting caffeine combined with |
| rays. Both types of ultraviolet radiation make up | | | | exercise and a reduction in the number of |
| ninety percent of the UV rays that strike the | | | | precancerous skin cells. There was said to be a |
| earth surface. | | | | reduction in the number of precancerous cells in |
| Tanning is big business with billions of dollars spent | | | | the groups that just exercised or were just |
| worldwide on indoor tanning sessions, lotions, | | | | dosed on caffeine. The study claimed that a |
| self-tanning sprays and the like. In spite of recent | | | | significant reduction was seen in the group of |
| warnings about spending too much time in the | | | | mice that were dosed with caffeine and exercised |
| sun, there still seems to be a very strong societal | | | | by a factor of four times. The mechanism is said |
| connection between having a tan and maintaining | | | | to replicate the process of apoptosis described as |
| the appearance of health and youth. It is almost | | | | the process of damaged cells self-destructing. This |
| as though we can not help ourselves and let us | | | | self-destruct mode may be act as a natural |
| be honest, the warmth of the sun just feels | | | | defense against disease. |
| good, especially for those of us who live in less | | | | The results of the study are said to be very |
| temperate climates and spend the long months of | | | | preliminary and should not induce a mass |
| winter yearning for the warmth of the summer | | | | movement to the nearest coffee shop for a few |
| sun. So the continued study of how best to deal | | | | cups of coffee and then a quick trip to the gym. |
| with the potential for increased risk for developing | | | | Though not a guarentee against the development |
| skin cancer has taken on new urgency. | | | | of skin cancers or other UV related skin disorders, |
| The study published in the Proceedings of the | | | | there are some common sense steps we can all |
| National Academy of Sciences cited research | | | | take to protect our skin. Try to avoid |
| conducted on mice that had been exposed to | | | | overexposure to the sun especially during the |
| UVB and as a result sustained levels of cellular | | | | hottest times of the day and use a good quality |
| damage in the skin that destroyed or severely | | | | sunscreen with a high SPF rating. Wearing a broad |
| damaged the cells DNA. A total of groups of mice | | | | brimmed hat can shield the face and UV rated |
| were studied with one group of mice receiving a | | | | sunglasses can help to protect the eyes. |
| measured dose of caffeine equal to two or three | | | | |