People with very pale skin may need to consider taking vitamin D supplements, according to a new study.

Melanoma patients may need the supplements as well.

The logic behind this argument is that fair-skinned people and melanoma patients may be unable to spend enough time in the sun to make the amount of vitamin D the body needs naturally without risking sunburn.

For the study, British researchers measured the vitamin D levels of approximately 1,200 people and found that 730 of them were deficient. Furthermore, those with fair-skin had significantly lower levels than their tanner counterparts.

Vitamin D deficiency was defined as below 25nmol/L, which has been associated with poor bone growth, though the researchers said that the optimal level of vitamin D for health benefits was 60nmol/L.

“If you are worried about your vitamin D levels, our advice is to go see your doctor,” said Sara Hiom, director of health information at Cancer Research UK.

The study was published in the journal Cancer Causes and Control.

Could you ever imagine picking up your morning cup of joe, and instead of drinking it, slathering it over your skin?

A new study indicates that caffeine applied directly to the skin may be able to protect against UV-related sun damage and skin cancer.

Rutgers researchers say that the caffeine guards against certain skin cancers by inhibiting a protein enzyme in the skin called ATR, which in turn slows down non-melanoma tumor growth.

The study found that caffeine worked best at a pre-cancerous stage, as a protective measure rather than a treatment measure.

“Caffeine might become a weapon in prevention because it inhibits ATR and also acts ad as a sunscreen and directly absorbs damaging UV light,” said researcher Allan Conney.

Prior studies have found that coffee is also associated with a decreased risk of several other types of cancer – only in these cases, you can drink it, as opposed to rubbing it on your skin for health benefits.

According to statistics from the National Cancer Institute, sunlight-induced skin cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the United States. Every year, more than 1 million new cases are diagnosed.

Though researchers are still uncertain as to why exactly coffee is effective, they hope their findings can be utilized as a method of prevention.

A new study has found an association between vitamin D deficiency and early menstruation in young girls. Early menstruation can be a risk factor for a number of health problems for teen girls as well as women later in life.

University of Michigan researchers found that girls low on vitamin D were twice as likely to start menstruation early compared to those with sufficient vitamin D.

Worldwide, researchers said they have observed a decline in age of first menstruation, a change likely brought on by environmental factors because the genetic factors have not changed.

Premature menarche is a risk factor for a number of behavioral and psychosocial problems in teens. It also may be associated with an increased of cardiometabolic diseases and cancer in adult women.

Previous research has indicated that menarche begins later in girls who live close to the equator compared to girls who live in northern countries, presumably because girls in northern countries may suffer higher rates of vitamin D deficiency.

In the study, girls who were low in vitamin D were 11 years old, on average, when they had their first period. Girls with sufficient vitamin D were, on average, 12 years old.

Though the age gap is only a year, the researchers said the difference is in fact substantial because at those ages a lot is happening rapidly in a young girls’ body.

Sunblock not enough?  A new study suggests grapes may help protect skin cells against harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

According to Spanish researchers, certain compounds in grapes are able to reduce the amount of damage in skin cells exposed to the sun’s radiation.

Ultraviolet radiation is the leading environmental cause of skin health problems, including skin cancer, sunburn and premature wrinkling.

UV rays cause these problems by activating skin compounds called ‘reactive oxygen species’, which cause cell death.  However, it appears that certain components from grapes, called flavanoids, can reduce the the formation of ROS, thus reducing the likelihood of cell death.

Based on these findings, the researchers recommend the use of grapes or grape derivatives in sun protection products.

The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Though the use of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy has been a matter of concern for mothers-to-be, new research indicates that even a high dosage of vitamin D is safe and effective for the pregnant women who need it.

Even the highest amounts of vitamin D intake were not associated with any adverse effects in mothers or their newborns.  Previously, it was thought that vitamin D supplements could cause harm to the fetus.

University of South Carolina researchers monitored the pregnancies of 350 women and assigned them to one of three groups.  One group received 400 IU of vitamin D per day, the second group received 2,000 IU per day and the third received 4,000 IU daily.

The researchers found that women who received the highest dose of vitamin D (4,000 IU per day) were more likely to achieve and sustain the desired level of circulating levels of vitamin D throughout their pregnancy.  The two other groups did not achieve desired levels.

“In our study subjects, a daily dosage of up to 4,000 IU of vitamin D was required to sustain normal metabolism in pregnant women,” said lead researcher Dr. Bruce Hollis from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Vitamin D has also been linked to a number of other health benefits, including strong bones, low blood pressure and protection from autoimmune diseases.

A study conducted by Stanford researchers, unrelated to this one, has even found evidence that vitamin D may protect against skin cancer.

Besides supplements, the largest source of vitamin D is actually sun exposure.  Vitamin D can also be found in eggs, fortified milk and fatty fish, such as salmon.

The study was published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

You would never think so looking at it, but the skin is an organ just like the heart or the liver. In fact, it happens to be the largest organ in the body.

The skin, as the border between the self and the outside world, is also the organ that defines us. It protects our internal organs from environmental threats. And for many people, the skin’s appearance, the presence or lack of wrinkles, for instance, is what defines aging, more so than the condition of their vital internal organs. Our skin is very important to us, but skin health is not something to which we give much (or any) thought.

The Skinny on Skin

Number of days it takes for the skin to renew itself: 28

Thickness of human skin in inches: 0.06 to 0.16

Average weight of adult male skin in pounds: 7

Surface area of adult male skin in square feet: 22

Millions of skin cells in average adult: 300

Number of hairs on a square half inch of skin: 10

Number of sweat glands in a square half inch of skin: 100

Number of feet of blood vessels in a square half inch of skin: 3.2

Number of days it takes for the skin to replace itself: 52 to 75

As that part of our body that is the most exposed to the environment, the skin’s greatest threat is the sun’s rays, and overexposure to these rays appears to be the most important factor in the development of skin cancer, which is on the rise worldwide. One out of every five Americans will develop skin cancer, and nearly 10,000 will die from it each year. Skin cancer was long considered a problem only for people over 50, but in the last couple of decades, the rate of skin cancer for people in their forties and younger has multiplied explosively. You need to think about your skin before it’s too late.

Sunny Myths

Sunscreen protects you against all ultraviolet rays from the sun.

FALSE. It protects you from the sun’s UVB rays, but no sunscreen product screens out all UVA rays, which are the cause of melanomas. So just because you put on sunscreen, you are not 100 percent protected.

You don’t need to reapply sunscreen when you come out of the water if you use waterproof sunscreen lotions.

FALSE. There’s no such a thing as a waterproof sunscreen. If you go into the water, you have to reapply these creams immediately because they get washed off.

Suntans are a sign of healthy skin.

FALSE. A tan is a sign of skin damage. The tanning occurs when the skin produces additional pigment (coloring) to protect itself against burns from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.

The sun produces two types of ultraviolet radiation. The ultraviolet A (UVA) rays, which penetrate deeper into the skin, are more responsible for melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer. The ultraviolet B (UVB) rays are responsible for sunburns and cause nonmelanomas, the squamous and basal cell skin cancers. Though melanomas account for only 4 percent of skin cancers, they are responsible for nearly 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths. Melanomas usually begin as flat, quarter-inch-sized, mottled, light brown to black blemishes with irregular borders. These blemishes can then turn red, blue, or white; crust on the surface; or bleed. Most frequently seen on the upper back, torso, lower legs, head, and neck, they can occur anywhere on the body.

Anyone can get skin cancer, but you are at increased risk if you

–have a family history of skin cancer

–have many moles or large moles

–have naturally blond or red hair

–have blue or green eyes

–have had five or more sunburns

–have been overexposed to the sun early in life

–are Caucasian with fair skin

While skin cancer is the most common type of cancer, and kills more young women than any other type of cancer, it is also the most preventable.

The best defense against skin cancer is sun protection. Because the sun’s ultraviolet rays can damage the cellular structure of the skin, the use of sun protection is important beginning at a young age and continuing throughout life. Whenever you are out in the sun, it’s a good idea to use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Apply it 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors, and reapply it every two hours. If you can’t avoid being out and about in the hours of peak sunlight—ten a.m. until four p.m.—seek the shade whenever possible and wear a hat, visor, sunglasses, and other protective clothing during prolonged periods of sun exposure.

Since skin cancer has a 95 percent cure rate when detected early, by your late thirties you should have a skin physical every two years. This is particularly important if you are at greater risk for skin cancer. At a skin physical, a dermatologist will go over your entire body looking for atypical birthmarks, blemishes, and moles. This exam could save your life.

Skin cancers aside, chronic sun exposure also creates skin stains and premature wrinkling. Smoking, too, is bad for the skin. On the other hand, the aging of the skin can be slowed by a good diet. Certain foods, like salmon and the omega oils found in salmon, have been found to be extremely beneficial for skin health. On the other hand, while skin creams may reduce dryness, or improve excessive oiliness, they will not alter the overall health of the skin. Creams merely affect the superficial layer of the skin. Good skin health comes from within.