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