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Sunshine helps baby's gut
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Scientists say that just half an hour of sun exposure per day can reduce the risk of developing inflammatory processes in the child's intestines. This information was announced by a team of specialists led by Dr. Robin Lucas, representing the School of Medicine at the Australian National University in Melbourne.
According to the latest research, in Australia alone, approximately eight hundred thousand people constantly have intestinal problems – in particular, not only intestinal disorders are registered, but also Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The most common pathological symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps and general deterioration of health. Such symptoms negatively affect the quality of life of people, worsen their ability to work. This happens mainly because the immune defense gets out of the adequate rhythm and directs its aggression to its own healthy tissues.
Previous experiments have shown that sunlight has a beneficial effect on the body's immune defenses. In their new project, the scientists had to determine what properties sunlight has in relation to intestinal diseases.
The new study involved volunteers - young schoolchildren. This contingent was chosen because in this environment there is confidence in the data obtained - for example, there is no need to take into account such factors unfavorable for the digestive system as alcohol abuse or smoking. According to the results of the observations, it was found that for every ten minutes of the participants' stay in the sun's rays, the risk of triggering inflammatory intestinal processes decreased by about 6%. And for half an hour of sunbathing, the risk of intestinal disease decreased by about 20%.
Scientists point out that at the moment they cannot answer the question of the reasons for such a relationship with certainty. Presumably, the beneficial effect depends to some extent on the activation of vitamin D production processes in the body. The researchers also note that it did not matter what time the participants walked in the sun - whether it was morning, afternoon or evening. And, despite the positive aspects of sunbathing, scientists do not advise completely ignoring UV protection.
Earlier experiments showed that regular walks in the sun help normalize blood pressure and reduce the risk of blood clots. Sun rays do more than just improve health: they prolong life, preventing the occurrence of such complex pathologies as strokes and heart attacks.
A full description of the article is available on the university's official pages www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/sunshine-may-decrease-risk-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease