Just ONE DAY of sunbathing increases the risk of cardiovascular disease – and stops the body from fighting infections, research shows

It’s no secret that sizzling in the sun for long periods of time is bad for your health.

In addition to the headaches and risk of heatstroke, sunbathing dramatically increases the risk of skin cancer, with 70 percent of cases of the disease linked to sun exposure.

But now researchers have added two more serious harms to the list: heart disease and a broken immune system.

Scientists at the University of Louisville in Kentucky found that just one day in a warm outdoor environment can increase signs of inflammation in the body by at least 10 percent.

Some of these symptoms – the release of inflammatory substances that lead to a spiral of internal damage – are explicitly linked to the build-up of plaque in the arteries, leading to heart disease.

The study also showed a six percent drop in crucial immune system cells called B cells, which help the body fight viruses and germs.

For the study, blood was taken once from 624 adults during the summer months between May 2018 and September 2019.

The average temperature on the days participants visited the clinic for blood tests was 76 degrees Fahrenheit (24.5 degrees Celsius).

The researchers analyzed the blood tests for multiple markers to show how well the immune system was performing.

They looked specifically at the levels of key compounds released by the immune system when it detects injury, such as T and B cells, and at cytokines (signaling molecules that can cause inflammation).

They then looked at the links between the markers and heat levels, including temperature and net effective temperature – which takes into account humidity, air temperature and wind speed.

They also compared the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), which takes into account temperature, humidity, wind speed and ultraviolet radiation levels.

They found that for every five degrees increase in UTCI, there was an increase in natural killer T cells, indicating that inflammation has occurred in the body.

This difference, the researchers said, was the equivalent of a day without heat, with a day of moderate thermal stress.

There was a 10 percent increase in the number of lethal T cells in the participants’ blood, which activate the immune system and trigger an inflammatory response in the body to protect against pathogens and injury.

Although inflammation is a normal part of the body’s defense against infections, a consistent inflammatory response over time (lasting weeks to months), or occurring in healthy tissues, is harmful and plays a key role in the formation of plaque in the arteries. .

This can lead to the development of coronary artery disease and heart attacks.

Researchers also found a seven percent decrease in B cells, indicating a decrease in the part of the immune system that remembers specific viruses and produces antibodies to tackle them.

“Our study participants were only slightly exposed to high temperatures on the day of their blood test, but even a small exposure may contribute to changes in immune markers,” said lead study author Daniel Riggs, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Louisville.

Prof Riggs added that adults over the age of 60 and adults with existing cardiovascular disease are at particular risk of heat-related cardiovascular events and deaths.

‘With rising global temperatures, the association between heat exposure and a temporarily weakened immune system response is of concern because temperature and humidity are known to be important environmental factors for airborne transmission of infectious diseases.

‘So during the hottest summer days, people may be at greater risk of exposure to heat, and may also be more vulnerable to disease or inflammation.’