Does sunlight reduce cholesterol?

Asked by: Simon Bartlett, via email

When it’s exposed to sunlight, our skin makes vitamin D. One theory is that because cholesterol is used in vitamin D synthesis, levels of cholesterol will reduce as more vitamin D is made.

One study showed that doing outdoor activities such as gardening in the summer did indeed reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. This did not occur during winter. However, the reduction of cholesterol is so small that there would not be any meaningful health benefit.

So if sunlight isn’t the solution, why not adopt a healthy Mediterranean diet? There is good evidence that this reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering the ‘bad’ type of cholesterol, responsible for clogging up our arteries. Eating more vegetables, fruits, nuts and olive oil could bring some sunshine into your diet!

Read more:

• Can sunlight through glass objects really cause house fires?
• Why do some people get freckles when it’s sunny?

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