What you need to protect your skin from the inside against UV rays

How to protect your skin this holiday season

Before reaching for sunscreen, I encourage you to check the ingredients it contains.

Of the 16 basic ingredients that make up sunscreens on the market, only zinc oxide (as long as it is not in nanoparticles) and titanium dioxide have been tested and can be said not to be harmful for human use. Another 12 have not been sufficiently tested, including oxybenzene, which is present in approximately 70% of sunscreens and whose limited evidence shows that it is an endocrine disruptor, as well as destroying coral reefs and marine life.

The other two ingredients PABA and Trolamine Salicylate have been proven to be unsafe for human use.

Several sunscreen ingredients contain endocrine-inhibiting effects

According to a medical study from Denmark, 13 of 29 chemicals present in sunscreens permitted in the USA and the European Union have the capacity to reduce male fertility by affecting calcium signaling in sperm in part by producing a progesterone-like effect. Of those 13 chemicals, 8 are normally found in sunscreen products and they are:

Avobenzone, homosalate, meradimate, octisalate (octyl-salicylate), octinoxate (octyl methoxymate), octocrylene, oxybenzone (benzophenone-3), padimate O. ( 1 )

These chemicals are also found in makeup, moisturizers and sunscreen lipsticks.

Some ingredients in sunscreens are also neurotoxic

Since sunscreens must be applied in large quantities to cover large areas of the body, it is estimated that with each application up to 200 milligrams of these compounds can be absorbed, ending up in the blood, urine and breast milk, just 2 hours after application to the skin.

Sunscreen ingredients that have been shown to have neurotoxic effects include:

• Octyl methoxynamate decreases motor activity in female rats and alters the amount of different neurotransmitters.
• Benzophenone 3 (oxybenzone) decreases the cell viability of neurons and stimulates the overproduction of estrogen genes in male animals.
• Benzophenone 4
• 4-methylbenzylidene camphor decreases the cell viability of neurons and atrophies neuronal development in laboratory animals.
• 3-benzylidene-camphor
• Octocrilene atrophies the expression of genes related to brain development and metabolism. ( 2 )

How to protect your skin from within

Several nutrients have been identified that have ultraviolet protective activity and may reduce sunburn damage:

 

Astaxanthin a natural protector

It is a powerful antioxidant that protects cells, organs and body tissues from oxidative damage.

Astaxanthin is produced by the microalga Hematococcus pluvialis when its water supply dries up, forcing it to protect itself from ultraviolet radiation. It is the product of this algae's survival mechanism.

As for sun protection, Astaxanthin protects against UV-induced cell death. In fact, it does not block UV rays so it does not prevent UVB rays from being converted into vitamin D in the skin; it only protects the skin from damage.

Its protective effect is so powerful that it also acts against:

• Total body irradiation by destroying reactive oxygen species and reducing cell apoptosis (programmed cell death).
• The progression of burn injury by reducing inflammation-induced oxidative stress and mitochondria-related apoptosis.

Several studies have shown that consuming just 4mg of Astaxanthin for two weeks significantly increased the time needed for UV rays to redden the skin. ( 3 )

Many athletes appreciate Astaxanthin because it allows them to stay in the sun for longer periods of time without feeling sick or sunburned. Less sunburn means less risk of skin cancer.

For general skin health and protection, Dr. Joseph Mercola recommends 4 mg per day of this supplement, but if you are a person whose activities take place outdoors or are an athlete who exercises outdoors, you should consider doses between 8 and 12 mg per day to begin to benefit from the many properties that Astaxanthin contains.

Don't forget lycopene and beta carotene

Although they do not have the same potency as Astaxanthin, studies have been done where men and women with very white skin, blue eyes and light hair were given 10 grams of olive oil or a combination of 10 grams of olive oil and 40 grams of tomato paste in their daily diet, taking into account that cooking tomatoes increases the bioutility of lycopene.

During the 10-week trial, participants' tolerance to sunlight and resistance to skin redness were examined.

The result was that the group that only consumed olive oil did not show any change in tolerance to sunlight and redness, while those who consumed the mixture of olive oil and tomato paste showed 40% less redness at the end of the 10 weeks compared to the first 4 weeks.

The conclusion was that for real protection to occur, about 10 weeks of supplementation with lycopene and beta-carotene are required for it to take effect and preferably, increasing consumption by 0.5% each month to ensure the desired result.

Vitamin D

If you are one of those people who still follows the erroneous recommendation of some dermatologists not to sunbathe to avoid skin cancer, reconsider and do your own research.

Avoiding the sun completely may actually increase your risk rather than decrease it. The vitamin D your body produces in response to UVB radiation helps protect against melanoma as the Lancet medical journal states in a study:

“ Paradoxically, people who work outdoors have a lower risk of melanoma compared to people who work indoors, suggesting that chronic exposure to sunlight may have a protective effect .” ( 4 )

Natural absorption of vitamin D is enhanced by healthy sun exposure, i.e. direct sun exposure until you feel your skin starting to redden, followed by covering your body with cloth or wearing a cap or hat while outdoors. Vitamin D absorption occurs by exposing large areas of the body to the sun, not just the face.

Improving the natural absorption of vitamin D allows your body to produce the calcium it needs, protects you from other organic cancers that are much more serious than melanoma, helps prevent many chronic diseases and, finally, is an important adjuvant for longevity.

A Swedish study of middle-aged women over 20 years found that women who completely avoided the sun and tanning beds were twice as likely to die during the years of the study and concluded that this was due to the lack of the protective influence of vitamin D. ( 5 )

The key is to optimize the natural absorption of vitamin D while avoiding sunburn on the skin.

Vitamin E and its role in skin protection

The first thing we need to know is that vitamin E can absorb the energy of ultraviolet rays while preventing damage caused by free radicals in the skin induced by the same UV rays.

Foods rich in vitamin E are your best allies. If you want to increase the levels of vitamin E in your body, remember to include in your diet almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, mango, sapote, kiwi, red pepper (raw), avocado, peanuts, almond oil, sunflower oil (organic), sunflower seeds and wheat germ oil.

Green tea, an antioxidant that helps prevent skin damage caused by UV rays

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, to boost the benefits of green tea, add a splash of lemon juice. Several studies have shown that vitamin C significantly increases the amount of catechins present in tea and available for your body to absorb. One study found that adding 30 grams of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to 250 ml of tea boosted the recovery of epigallocatechin gallate (the powerful antioxidant in green tea) by 56% to 76%, while only 20% of the catechins remained after consuming green tea alone.

Another study mentioned by Dr. Mercola confirms that the polyphenols present in green tea “show significant antioxidant, chemopreventive and immunomodulatory effects in terms of skin protection. ( 6 )

Listen to your body, follow these tips and take advantage of all the healing and invigorating benefits that the sun offers us. Don't miss it!