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The sun's rays will keep arthritis away
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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American scientists have published the results of a study that showed that women who regularly spend time in the sun are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors have noted that this effect of sun rays only affects mature women and attribute this pattern to the fact that young girls use sunscreen too often, which reduces the impact of direct light.
The study, conducted by Harvard School specialists, involved examining the medical records of more than 100,000 women. About 10 years ago, scientists suggested that vitamin D, which is produced under the influence of sunlight, can have a beneficial effect on the condition of the joints. During the study, specialists studied in detail the medical records of two groups of mature women. The first group, numbering more than 50,000 people, was monitored since 1976, the second - since 1989. Experts took into account the age of the women, place of residence, weather conditions and solar radiation in their environment. During the entire study, rheumatoid arthritis was observed in 1,300 participants in the experiment. After a deep analysis of the data, the researchers noted that the risk of the disease in women who lived in sunny regions was reduced by 20-22%. Based on the data obtained, the experts concluded that direct sunlight can protect the body from joint diseases.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease of the articular connective tissue. Experts currently doubt the nature of the disease's origin: some point to an infectious origin, but the impossibility of treatment with antibiotics makes doctors think about the incorrectness of this assumption. The authors of the study found a connection between the place of residence and the occurrence of such a disease as rheumatoid arthritis. According to experts, the geography of residence (and, accordingly, the amount of sunlight) affects not only the formation of infectious diseases of the joints, but also the occurrence of other autoimmune diseases, among which diabetes mellitus and intestinal inflammation were named.
The results of the study show that exposure to direct sunlight significantly reduces the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Scientists are trying to find out the reasons that link ultraviolet rays and the disease of joint tissue. Specialists admit the positive effect of vitamin D, which can be produced during exposure to sunlight. At the moment, the Americans have announced their intention to continue the study in order to determine the age at which the effect of ultraviolet radiation is most beneficial.
There was also a proposal from British colleagues to study the effect of solarium on the disease. Scientists from the University of London suggested that there is a possibility of using solarium as a preventive measure against arthritis, which would significantly facilitate the task of women who live in foggy regions.
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