{"id":10749,"date":"2026-07-27T11:26:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-27T11:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/endocrinolo.gy\/?p=10749"},"modified":"2026-08-04T14:37:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T14:37:16","slug":"%e1%83%9c%e1%83%90%e1%83%9b%e1%83%96%e1%83%94%e1%83%a3%e1%83%a0%e1%83%98-%e1%83%9b%e1%83%96%e1%83%94-%e1%83%93%e1%83%90-%e1%83%94%e1%83%9c%e1%83%93%e1%83%9d%e1%83%99%e1%83%a0%e1%83%98%e1%83%9c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/endocrinolo.gy\/en\/2026\/07\/27\/%e1%83%9c%e1%83%90%e1%83%9b%e1%83%96%e1%83%94%e1%83%a3%e1%83%a0%e1%83%98-%e1%83%9b%e1%83%96%e1%83%94-%e1%83%93%e1%83%90-%e1%83%94%e1%83%9c%e1%83%93%e1%83%9d%e1%83%99%e1%83%a0%e1%83%98%e1%83%9c\/","title":{"rendered":"Sun, Sunlight, and Endocrine Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the arrival of summer, skin tinting with dew becomes relevant. For many, tanned skin is a symbol of health, beauty and relaxation. But is it really so?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens in the skin during tanning, what effect does the sun have on the endocrine system, is there a safe tan and what is currently proven by science?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is tan?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A tan is actually the skin's protective reaction to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These types of rays penetrate the skin and cause damage to its cells at high intensity. In response, melanocytes are activated, which produce melanin<\/strong> in order to protect themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melanin can absorb and partially neutralize UV \u200b\u200bradiation, thus helping to protect skin cells from further damage. It is the increase in the amount of melanin that causes darkening of the skin, i.e. the formation of a tan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How solar ultraviolet radiation damages the skin<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation<\/strong> is a spectrum of light coming from the sun. Its UVA<\/strong> and UVB<\/strong> rays can damage the DNA of skin cells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DNA<\/strong> is each cell's \"instructions\" that determine how the cell should work, grow, and reproduce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under normal conditions, the body has DNA repair mechanisms that repair most of these lesions. However, if the damage is frequent or very intense, not all errors can be corrected. As a result, permanent changes remain in the DNA \u2014 mutations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If such mutations accumulate in genes that control cell growth, division, and destruction of damaged cells, the cell can lose control of growth and eventually develop skin cancer, including melanoma<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Darkening of the skin means that the cells have already been exposed to UV radiation and are trying to protect themselves from further damage by producing melanin. However, melanin can neither provide complete protection nor restore DNA damage already received<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultraviolet radiation is a proven carcinogen.<\/strong> According to the classification of the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), solar ultraviolet radiation belongs to Group I carcinogens<\/strong>, which means that there is sufficient evidence of its cancer-causing activity in humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, UV radiation is also associated with an increased risk of premature aging, photodamage, wrinkles, sagging skin, and dark spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Important facts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cloudy weather does not mean safety.<\/strong> Clouds block only a small fraction of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, so about 80%<\/strong> of UV rays still reach the Earth's surface. Therefore, sun protection is important even in cloudy weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Damage from UV radiation is cumulative.<\/strong> Each period spent in the sun and each sunburn adds to the previous damage and there is a cumulation of DNA damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Childhood sunburns are particularly dangerous.<\/strong> Studies have shown that childhood and adolescent sunburns, especially blistering sunburns, significantly increase the risk of developing melanoma in adulthood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the population is more or less informed about the high risks of these possible negative effects of tanning, it still does not lose its popularity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beta-endorphins<\/strong> may contribute to this - this is a substance that, in response to ultraviolet rays, leads to the emergence of positive feelings, self-confidence, and to some extent even the formation of an addiction to tanning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there a positive side to tanning?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although excess UV radiation is associated with significant risks to the skin, sunlight also has several important physiological effects on the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vitamin D synthesis in the skin<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Exposure to the sun's ultraviolet B (UVB) rays produces vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D <\/a> is important:<\/p>\n\n\n\n