Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Sunlight helps decrease prostate cancer
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., Jun 15, 2005 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- Researchers from three U.S. cancer centers Wednesday said a study has found increased sunlight exposure helps decrease the risk of prostate cancer.
The study led by Dr. Esther John of the Northern California Cancer Center found men with high sun exposure had half the risk of prostate cancer than did men with low sun exposure.
Researchers said that in men with certain gene variants, the risk was reduced even further, to as much as 65 percent.
"We believe that sunlight helps to reduce the risk of prostate cancer because the body manufactures the active form of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight," John said.
Vitamin D is known to promote normal growth of prostate cells and to inhibit the spread of prostate cancer cells to other parts of the body.
The researchers warned men should not try to reduce their risk of prostate cancer by sunbathing because that raises the risk of sun-induced skin cancers like melanoma.
Findings of the study, conducted at Northern California Cancer Center, the University of Southern California and Wake Forest University, appears in the June 15 issue of Cancer Research.