It makes you hot, it makes you sweat, it gives off vitamin D and… he starves the male sex. A review study Nature Metabolism unveiled by The Guardian shows that the sun generates unexpected effects.
In males, exposure to soleil might release ghrélinea hormone that causes hunger pangs. Carmit Levy, Professor in the Department of Human Molecular Genetics at Tel Aviv University and his colleagues conducted a national nutrition survey of 3,000 participants. They found that men ingested 300 calories additional per day during the summer. It’s not much, but it might be enough to cause weight gain. However, the same finding was not observed in women.
To further their research, the scientists exposed volunteers of both sexes to the sun for twenty-five minutes. Result: the level of ghrelin, also called “appetite hormone”, increased in men but not in women. Ghrelin is secreted more when theADN present in certain tissues of the skin deteriorates on contact with the sun. estrogen, hormones specific to the female metabolism, might block this undesirable effect.
Ghrelin is convenient
According to Professor Levy, ghrelin has other effects on the organism. It reduces inflammation and wasting of the heart muscle, and lowers blood pressure. “Ghrelin may be the mechanical link between sun exposure and reduced cardiovascular disease”she explains.
The sun would then help protect us from these diseases and other causes of death. Its light releases nitric oxides through the skin, causing blood vessels to relax and lowering blood pressure.
The fact remains that certain doctors such as Duane Mellor, dietitian and lecturer at Aston Universityremain cautious in interpreting these results. “This article does not claim that sun exposure will cause weight gain in men. It provides insight into the role of the hormone ghrelin in reducing cardiovascular risk and inflammation.”he nuances.
