By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

 March 29, 2013

• What to do BEFORE you start enjoying the after-winter sun
• Can you really get sunscreen, and heart protection, in a pill?
• 6 extra tips to naturally prevent sunburn

During spring break a lot of people flood into South Florida where my office is located. And it’s not just the college students heading to South Beach and Ft. Lauderdale for a “spring-fling.” We also get a lot of families with children in some of the quieter locations like Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Naples.

The mistake many of these vacationers make is spending too many hours at the beach on their very first day. By the time they head back to their hotel, some of them are as red as a lobster. And the blistering, itching and peeling that follows can disrupt their entire vacation.

I’m sure this happens up north, too. After being stuck inside all winter it can be very easy to overdo it when you get you finally get outdoors on those first sunny days of spring.

The thing you have to remember is that after all of those long months spent indoors, your skin is extremely pale. And pale skin burns very easily. So it’s very important to take precautions against sunburn when you first step into those rays of sunshine after a long winter. Even more so if you’re fair-skinned to begin with.

It’s equally important to continue protecting your skin later on in the year when spring fades into summer. In a few months – when temperatures start heading up even further – spending a day at the pool, lake, creek or beach is just the thing to cool you down. But even when you’re in the water, the sun will continue to bake your precious skin.

These days there are some exciting discoveries in the works. Thanks to scientific research, we now know there are certain antioxidants can help reduce the risk of sunburn in many people.

To top it off, they can protect your heart at the same time! Just take a look at what two of these super-nutrients can do for you…

I’m not a fan of sunscreen lotions. The chemicals in them are often more dangerous than the sun itself. Some of these compounds are estrogen mimics. Others damage your DNA. And some of them even become carcinogenic when the sunlight hits them.

Plus they almost completely block your body’s ability to produce vitamin D. That’s a crime, because vitamin D helps protect your body from cancer – including skin cancer!

That’s why I really like the idea of a “sunscreen in a pill.” I’m also excited about the heart and cardiovascular benefits these powerful antioxidants can provide. Here’s the scoop…

Astaxanthin is one of today’s biggest breakthroughs in antioxidant nutrition. It’s a natural carotenoid pigment found in a certain type of microalgae (Haematoccous pluvialis.) The marine life that eats the algae – like salmon, shrimp and krill – also has high astaxanthin contents.

In independent research, people who took 4 mg of astaxanthin daily for two weeks were able to withstand longer UV exposure without burning. Further research shows that it works by protecting your skin against DNA damage caused by the UV radiation. At the same time, it lowers your body’s production of an enzyme (MMP-1) that contributes to UVA induced photo aging.

And here’s the really big news. As an antioxidant, astaxanthin is10 times stronger than beta-carotene and up to 500 times stronger than vitamin E. That means it’s a powerful weapon against oxidative damage.

While human studies on the heart benefits of this nutrient are limited, initial results find it helps prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Oxidized LDL increases your risk of plaque build up in the arteries. This, in turn, increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. So anything you can do to reduce oxidized LDL is good for your heart.

Other human research shows it also reduces levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in people who take 2 mg. daily for 8 weeks. CRP is an inflammatory marker which is closely related to heart disease and cardiovascular issues. Additionally, supplementation with astaxanthin was able to decrease a DNA damage biomarker and enhance immune response.

It takes awhile for the astaxanthin pigment to build up in your system. So start taking 4 mg daily at least two weeks before spending time in the sun.

GliSODin is a superoxide dismutase (SOD) formula that not only reduces sunburn redness, but can also help you recover more quickly if you do get a burn. This was discovered when researchers used UV light to create a burn on the skin of 50 participants.

First they established an initial baseline for the amount of time it took to burn the skin. Then they gave the subjects 500 mg. of GliSODin for four weeks. After using the supplement it took a significantly greater amount of UV exposure to create redness and burn the skin.

And here’s the heart healthy bonus that comes with GliSODin…

Taking this antioxidant regularly reduces a form of arterial thickness that appears early on in the development of atherosclerosis. It’s called “carotid artery intima media thickness” and is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. Increased arterial thickness also reduces the diameter of the arteries, which can have an impact on your blood pressure.

To get both the sun protection and heart benefits of GliSODin, take 500 mg. daily.

I’m completely sold on using these nutrients to help save and protect your skin – and safeguard your heart health. But the amount of sun protection they provide depends on the individual…

Getting sunburned isn’t any fun. And while both astaxanthin and GliSODin can boost the amount of time you can spend outdoors without getting sunburned, they don’t work the same way for everyone. Some people may be able to extend the time by 50% before burning. For others it may only be 20%.

Until you know your limits, here are some additional tips to help get you through the early months of spring and summer without burning…

1. Start off slowly. Don’t expect to spend four or five hours – or longer – in the sun without burning. If you’re heading out for an all day event take some protective clothing to use for cover as the day progresses. A hat and a long sleeved lightweight shirt provide a lot of protection. And make sure to get 10-15 minutes of sun before putting on lotion or covering up to get max vitamin D absorption.
2. Avoid the mid-day sun when possible. If you’re in charge of the schedule, plan your outdoor events before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m. This will help you avoid being outside when the sun is at its strongest.
3. Stay away from sunscreens that contain oxybenzone, PABA, padimate-O and any word that ends in ‘paraben. Sticking with the tried and true – zinc oxide – is probably the safest bet. Some of the newer forms don’t leave the white streaks like it did when I was a kid.
4. Don’t forget the sunglasses. Invest in a pair with UV ray protection. These can help prevent eye damage that may lead to cataracts later in life.
5. Invest in a large umbrella to take to the beach or lake. That way you can run for cover when the harsh mid-day sun gets to be too much for you.

And don’t forget to move and enjoy yourself. Swim, start up a volleyball game, head out to the golf course or take your dog to the park for some frisbee-chasing fun. These extra boosts of activity during the spring and summer months are good for your heart, your weight and your health.

References:

Clinical Trial Indicates Sun Protection from BioAstin Supplement

Lyons NM, O’Brien NM. Modulatory effects of an algal extract containing astaxanthin on UVA-irradiated cells in culture. J Dermatol Sci. 2002 Oct;30(1):73-84.

Suganuma K, Nakajima H, Ohtsuki M, Imokawa G. Astaxanthin attenuates the UVA-induced up-regulation of matrix-metalloproteinase-1 and skin fibroblast elastase in human dermal fibroblasts. J Dermatol Sci. 2010 May;58(2):136-42.

Iwamoto T, Hosoda K, Hirano R, et al. Inhibition of low-density lipoprotein oxidation by astaxanthin. J Atheroscler Thromb. 2000;7(4):216-22.

Park JS, Chyun JH, Kim YK, Line LL, Chew BP. Astaxanthin decreased oxidative stress and inflammation and enhanced immune response in humans. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010 Mar 5;7:18.

Mac-Mary S, Sainthillier JM, Courderotmasuyer C, Creidi P, Humbert P. Could a photobiological test be a suitable method to assess the anti-oxidant effect of a nutritional supplement (Glisodin®)? Eur J Dermatol., vol. 17, no. 3, May-June 2007

Cloarec M, Caillard P, Provost JC, Dever JM, Elbeze Y, Zamaria N. GliSODin, a vegetal sod with gliadin, as preventative agent vs. atherosclerosis, as confirmed with carotid ultrasound-B imaging. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol. 2007 Feb;39(2):45-50