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Sun exposure is the main risk factor for developing melanoma. And there is evidence that alcohol consumption is also linked to an increased risk of skin cancer.
Part of the explanation is that when people drink, they tend to be calmer: they are less likely to apply sunscreen and more likely to spend too much time in the sun, whether it's at the beach or at the pool. But this is not all history.
"Research suggests that alcohol reduces the time you can spend in the sun before you burn," says Aaron White, Senior Science Advisor. with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
One of the evidence comes from a small study done in Germany on healthy men. The researchers measured the amount of UV radiation needed to burn the skin after consuming about three glbades. After drinking alcohol, it turned out that "the amount of UV needed to burn the skin was significantly lower," White says.
He says the result is surprising "because it tells us that alcohol increases the risk of catching a sunburn – not just because people do not tend to put cream on solar".
This is not exactly why this happens. But scientists have a presentiment. As part of this study, researchers measured the concentration of carotenoids in the body of participants. Carotenoids are the yellow, orange and red pigments produced by plants. When we eat carotenoids from fruits and vegetables, these pigments exert an antioxidant effect in our body that can help protect against damage caused by ultraviolet light.
In the study, carotenoid levels in men were lower after consuming alcohol. Researchers speculate that reducing antioxidants can make the skin more vulnerable to the effects of the sun. Two previous studies, one Japanese and the other French, have also shown that people who consume alcohol regularly have lower beta-carotene concentrations.
Decreasing antioxidants do not fully explain why drinkers appear to be at higher risk for skin cancer. "There is [likely] several explanations, "said researcher Eva Negri of the University of Milan, whose research has shown that regular consumption of alcohol is linked to an increased risk of melanoma.
The researchers say that alcohol can act on the body – and the skin – in many ways and trigger a chain of reactions that could make people more vulnerable to skin cancer.
This research is not new, but Mr. White was surprised to discover these scientific discoveries, because this link between alcohol and the acceleration of sunburn was not seen by alcohol researchers.
More research is needed to fully understand this relationship, but White says it's an important connection. "The increased risk of sunburn with alcohol is probably one of the factors contributing to the [higher] skin cancer rate [among] people who drink [alcohol]. "
Even if all participants in the German study were Caucasian, people with darker skin can get sunburn and run a risk of skin cancer due to UV rays.
And even though most people have heard the message that you should use sunscreen – the advice of moderating alcohol consumption can also help protect your skin.
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