Science says: tanning beds do not help with winter blues

We are once again fully in that winter slump, and that works out very well for the tanning salons. During these ‘dark’ months, the tanning bed is a very popular refuge for people suffering from this notorious winter depression. With such a tanning session, they hope to not only achieve a healthy tan but also to supplement their vitamin D deficiency. There are even tanning studios that cater to this with special ‘D-lights’. But to what extent does such a session really work? Unfortunately, it turns out to be of little help, according to a Swiss study.

Vitamin D is produced in the skin under the influence of UV-B radiation. The vitamin is not only important for our bones and muscles but also ensures the proper functioning of our immune system. A deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to various diseases, including immune disorders and depression. It is therefore understandable that people rush to the tanning bed in winter, but why doesn't it work as well as we think?

Skin researchers affiliated with the University Hospital of Zurich and the American Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore conducted research on this. The scientists gathered 50 suitable participants. For twelve weeks, 29 of them were asked to sunbathe under the tanning bed for a maximum of 30 minutes twice a week. The remaining 21 people formed the control group that did not use the tanning bed. Of course, devices that comply with the new European guidelines in terms of radiation and dosage were used. The vitamin D levels were measured at the beginning of the study, after one week, and again after twelve weeks. Additionally, research was conducted on the mood according to a scoring list from the World Health Organization.

What did they find out? In the tanning group, exposure to the UV light from the tanning beds indeed caused a rapid increase in the vitamin D level in the blood. This was on average 27 percent higher than the week before, prior to the study. However, this level also quickly plateaued. After twelve weeks of tanning, the measured amount of vitamin D had already dropped back to the level measured at the start of the experiment. Moreover, the control group showed on average the same vitamin D levels. And the mood? Well, that was also disappointing. The scores in both groups hardly differed from each other. The effect of the tanning bed is therefore only short-lived.

But what would be a good alternative? Various studies have shown that the production of vitamin D can be stimulated with light therapy, which uses a very specific part of the UV-B spectrum. Commercial tanning beds, on the other hand, primarily use UV-A radiation for a quick tanning result. The addition of UV-B (aimed at stimulating vitamin D production) is strongly limited by European regulations due to the risk of burning and skin damage. So, what are we waiting for? Let's get started with light therapy, I would say. By the way, I am also not a fan of the tanning bed, but I do suffer greatly from a winter slump. I have never tried light therapy, so I will have to test that soon.

Source: skinwiser