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Sun benefits 'outweigh risks'

The benefits of sun exposure could outweigh the risks, scientists have found. A new study has claimed that a pressure-reducing compound released in the blood by ultraviolet (UV) rays can cut the risk of heart attacks and stroke.

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Heart health benefits could 'outweigh cancer risks'

Dr Richard Weller, senior lecturer in dermatology at the University of Edinburgh said that the benefits to heart health of sunlight "will outweigh the risk of skin cancer":

The work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this and also explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate for lack of sunlight.

We now plan to look at the relative risks of heart disease and skin cancer in people who have received different amounts of sun exposure. If this confirms that sunlight reduces the death rate from all causes, we will need to reconsider our advice on sun exposure.

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