Summer is upon us, and as we spend more time outdoors, protection from the damaging effects of ultraviolet light is a concern. I have two tips for protecting your skin. First, use a good sunscreen that is favorably rated by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to have no, or minimal, harmful chemicals. Your skin is an efficient delivery system for drugs and chemicals, which can easily enter your bloodstream. EWG has over 97,000 product in their database…just search for types of products or brands to learn the ratings for each product.
Secondly, the antioxidant supplement, astaxanthin, can protect against sunburn. This research study linked below found that, “Astaxanthin caused a significant inhibition of UV-irradiation-induced apoptosis.” What this means is astaxanthin prevents cell death that is induced by UV radiation. I use this supplement myself, and it significantly reduces my risk of sunburn, both with and without sunscreen. Note, that it does not prevent sunburn, but only extends the duration of safe exposure and/or boosts the benefit of your suncreen. We each react to sun exposure differently, due to individual differences, so being conservative is wise.
References