The hot weather has been brutal. The Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull has been tweeting to stay in doors during the heat wave and keep an eye out for our elderly. The company “Banana Boat “ has been in the news and not in a good way; it has been alleged that their sunscreen has been ineffectual.
The Bureau of Meteorology announced today the UV index is extreme at 17, this is noteworthy as skin damage occurs at a UV index greater than 3. Sun exposure can cause actinic keratoses ( AKs ) otherwise known as sunspots and Australia has the highest prevalence in the world. 60 % of the caucasian population over the age of 40 develop a KA and a KA is the precursor to squamous cell cancer.
Niacin And Squamous Cell Cancer
But it is not all bad news, not every KA goes on to become a squamous cell cancer and this is because of our own bodies immunosurveillance!
Our bodies have the molecular machinery to both destroy DNA damaged cells and repair DNA damaged cells, both of these functions need the enzyme poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP-1 ).
Enter the vitamin supplement B3 ( niacin ) which is necessary for the enzyme PARP-1. Lucky for us, niacin and squamous cell cancer don’t get along very well. Australian trials discussed in the latest edition of Medicine Today, Dermatology Collection show that Vitamin B3 supplements 500mg twice a day reduces both the number of S.K and the development of S.K .
Pretty easy hey, a vitamin B3 supplement twice a day. Niacin is also found in fish, nuts, legumes and yeast. Of course one should still wear long-sleeved shirts and a hat when outdoors in the intense sun and those who know me, know that the science has me converted to wearing DNA repair enzymes and an antioxidant ( both available at Skinthetics ) under my sunscreen every day.
