ETS Tanning Bed Blog

There just may be a reason multiple sclerosis (MS) is less common in countries that have more year ’round sunshine. At least, there is new research which indicates Vitamin D (acquired orally or through the skin via sunshine or UV-B rays from indoor tanning beds) helps in the treatment of the disease.

MS is a medical disorder in which the body doesn’t recognize itself. As a result, the body’s own immune system attacks and eventually destroys the sheath (covering) that protects the nerve fibers, reacting as if it were a foreign substance or an infection.

Vitamin D is well known as an immune system booster . Now, however, medical research from Louisiana State University School of Medicine and the Oregon Health and Science University indicate Vitamin D may also help regulate the immune system.

In fact, other researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston have stated vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to MS, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and certain types of cancer .

Clinical trials are now in phase II to gauge the effectiveness and necessary amount for MS treatment. In an official statement, researchers say they believe Vitamin D therapy research will provide “more therapeutic options,” and hope their findings are “a major advance in the global effort to alter the natural history of this chronic disease.”

There is also the mood-enhancing benefit of UV-B rays. And if you have a tight day schedule or live in a country (or region) that does not get year ’round sun, you can easily add indoor tanning to your UV-B regimen. Contact your local tanning salon for information on pricing and membership.

Yet another personal health study has been published linking vitamin D deficiency to colon or colorectal cancer. According to the scientists at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, "vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of developing colorectal polyps and cancer ."

And while this isn't necessarily new news, it's one of the first studies to measure the impact of vitamin D supplements as opposed to simply measuring the outcome of a vitamin D deficiency or measuring vitamin D levels retroactively. More importantly, it's also one of the first studies to propose a genetic reasoning for why certain individuals may respond more or less favorably to vitamin D based therapies.

The personal health study followed 50 colorectal cancer patients, each of whom received 2000 IU (International Units) of vitamin D every day. Every patient saw their vitamin D levels go up, but those undergoing chemotherapy saw a significantly slower increase –– meaning there could be genetic changes occurring in the vitamin D metabolizing proteins.

They're not the only ones who say so.

According to an article on the Vitamin D Council website, in 1985, Cedric and Frank Garland found that increased sunlight and vitamin D reduced the likelihood of colon cancer . In 1989, the Garlands further found that vitamin D deficiency –– as created by air pollution and haze –– played a major role in colorectal cancer.

By understanding those genetic changes, the scientists at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute hope to improve patients' responses to vitamin D therapies, which are quickly becoming a popular chemotherapy alternative or complimentary therapy.

I'm no scientist, but it sounds like vitamin D just scored another major point on the critical vitamin board.

I'm definitely not a regular reader of the American Journal of Respiratory and Clinical Care Medicine and I'm going to guess that neither are most of my readers. However, next month's issue of the journal has a compelling article connecting vitamin D deficiencies with increased or aggravated asthma symptoms.

And while the article title, Serum Vitamin D Levels and Markers of Severity of Childhood Asthma in Costa Rica , may not suggest it's the most compelling nighttime reading, anyone looking for more proof about the health benefits of vitamin D should definitely check it out. Personally, I'm a collector of this kind of information. If you're a tanning salon owner with curious or conscientious customers, you should be too.

According to the research, which was done across a number of schools and hospitals including Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, low vitamin D levels in children is linked to several indicators of allergy and asthma severity, including increased steroid dependence and hospitalization.

The study followed 616 Costa Rican children with asthma, tracking both their vitamin D levels and the severity of their asthma symptoms. They found that a disproportionate number of those children (175) had insufficient vitamin D levels; those same 175 also tended to have the most aggressive forms of the condition.

The end result? More vitamin D = Good for asthma sufferers.

If you're an asthma sufferer, this could be yet another reason to stay on top of your vitamin D intake. And if you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know that indoor tanning is a great source of UV-B rays, which are useful for creating vitamin D in the body.



Original article citation:
Brehm, John M.; Celedón, Juan C.; Soto-Quiros, Manuel E.; Avila, Lydiana; Hunninghake, Gary M.; Forno, Erick; Laskey, Daniel; Sylvia, Jody S.; Hollis, Bruce W.; Weiss, Scott T.; and Litonju., Augusto A.; Serum Vitamin D Levels and Markers of Severity of Childhood Asthma in Costa Rica, Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2009; 179: 765-771.

Not everyone can enjoy the benefits of indoor tanning. People who have an exceptionally fair skin type, are pregnant, have a photosensitivity to light, or are currently taking medications that may cause photosensitivity, then tanning may not be for them.

As a tanning salon owner, you need to check with your customers to see if they fall into any of the following categories. This can help you avoid angry customers, or worse, legal trouble.

People With a Type 1/Fair Skin Type

According to the FDA, you should not try indoor tanning if "you sunburn easily and do not tan. Skin that does not tan in the sun will probably not tan under a sunlamp." (link: http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/tanning/tanningproducts.html). These are usually redheads and people who freckle in the sun. However, it's important to remember that because you can control the length of exposure with a tanning bed, tanning for fair-skinned individuals may be possible by starting off slow and gradually increasing exposure time with each visit. Again though, if you have concerns, please consult your physician.

People with Photosensitivities

Some people are allergic to sunlight and UV rays, this is called photosensitivity and prolonged exposure typically causes a rash. Obviously, these people should avoid indoor tanning.

People Taking Medications Causing Photosensitivity, Photophobia or Phototoxicity

Various medications, topical products and injections can cause photosensitivities such as photoallergies, photophobia or phototoxicity - each a type of adverse reaction to UV rays.

According to the FDA (link: http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/496_sun.html), photoallergies occur when UV light actually changes the drug, causing the body to create antibodies which, in turn, results in an allergic reaction. Photophobia typically refers to patients who avoid light because their eyes are particularly sensitive to it. Finally, phototoxicity is essentially drastically increased skin sensitivity, resulting in a burn and potential skin or cell damage.

Common Photosensitizers

Here is a very small sample of the most common drugs that may cause photosensitivities:

Brand Name	Generic Name	Therapeutic Class
Motrin	ibuprofen	NSAID, antiarthritic
Crystodigin	digitoxin	antiarrhythmic
Sinequan	doxepin	antidepressant
Cordarone	amiodarone	antiarrhythmic
Bactrim	trimethoprim	antibiotic
Diabinese	chlorpropamide	antidiabetic (oral)
Feldene	piroxicam	NSAID, antiarthritic
Vibramycin	doxycycline	antibiotic
Phenergan	promethazine	antihistamine

 

 

Proposed law would regulate teens' right to tan more rigidly than their right to marry, drive a car, and join the military

(Reprinted from the Indoor Tanning Association press release )
WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Indoor Tanning Association (ITA) denounced House Bill 173, which would require Ohioans under the age of 18 to get a prescription from a doctor before using a sun-bed. Inexplicably, the bill also applies to spray tanning .

John Overstreet, executive director of the ITA issued the following statement regarding the bill:

"It is inconsistent and illogical for a teen in Ohio to be forced to have a prescription from a doctor before they could use a tanning bed.

At 17 an Ohio teen can serve and die for his or her country by joining the military. At 16 an Ohio teen is entrusted with the ability to operate a motor vehicle entirely unsupervised by a doctor or parent. 16- and 17-year-olds in the state can even get married as long as a parent consents.

It defies common sense that an Ohio parent could send their son or daughter off to war, drive the dangerous Ohio highways, or navigate the murky emotional waters of marriage -- but has to get a doctor's note before they can tan.

It is already standard practice to get written parental consent before a teen can use a tanning bed. A parent can decide whether or not it's ok for their teen to tan. Not the Ohio legislature."

Overstreet also noted that tanning salons in Ohio are already among the most highly regulated in the country.

The Indoor Tanning Association represents thousands of indoor tanning manufacturers, distributors, facility owners and members from other support industries. The ITA promotes a responsible message about moderate tanning and sunburn prevention.

SOURCE Indoor Tanning Association

To learn more about legislation in your state, contact your local government or visit the Indoor Tanning Association website.

I've blogged about the teen tanning ban in Texas before. And in the last few weeks, the situation has only gotten worse.

On April 22nd, the revised version of House Bill 1310 was passed by the Texas House of Representatives, meaning it has now made its way to the Texas Senate. What began as a ban on anyone under the age of 18 was downgraded to age 16-and-a-half. But, a ban is still a ban and could seriously hurt tanning bed business owners. Luckily, the Indoor Tanning Association –– the trade association for tanning salon owners, and tanning bed manufacturers and distributors –– is doing something about it.

According to LookingFit.com, the ITA is urging all Texas business owners, supporters and employees to join the fight against this bill .

They've created a pre-formatted letter wizard for tanning bed business owners that will automatically address and create a letter to your Texas Senate representative and even a separate letter for consumers .

The Texas Senate wants to dictate what they deem acceptable for families, and take decision-making out of the hands of parents. Their actions could ultimately harm the livelihoods of many Texas small business owners, which is the last thing we need in this economy.

Over-regulation is a serious threat and one that could seriously hinder our industry. So, if you live in Texas or know anyone in Texas, I urge you to write a letter and encourage your friends to write letters speaking out against this ban.

To learn more about legislation in your state, contact your local government or visit the Indoor Tanning Association website .

In a recent study in the journal Pain Medicine, Mayo Clinic researchers have found a correlation between inadequate vitamin D levels and the amount of pain medication taken by patients with chronic pain .

They found chronic pain patients with inadequate levels of vitamin D were taking nearly twice as much medication as those with adequate vitamin D

Also, low vitamin D has been linked to chronic musculoskeletal pain, muscle weakness or fatigue, fibromyalgia, rheumatic disorders, osteoarthritis, hyperesthesia, migraine headaches, and other complaints. According to the Mayo Clinic study, a low-level of vitamin D can also result in mood disturbances of chronic fatigue syndrome and seasonal affective disorder.

Current evidence says that supplemental vitamin D can help to alleviate chronic pain and fatigue in many patients who weren't helped by other therapies. Vitamin D therapy is easy for patients to self-administer, is well tolerated, and is very economical. In short, vitamin D is very important in order to help reduce chronic pain, and too easy to not use it.

The reasons are pretty clear.

We've discussed again and again that if vitamin D is deficient in the body, then people will suffer things like rickets and fibromyalgia. And some researchers believe many syndromes, like chronic fatigue, are actually caused by a Vitamin D deficiency.

Some of the best, most effective ways to get UV-B rays is from sunlight or indoor tanning beds, as well as from foods rich in vitamin D. Tanning beds are especially helpful when we're in the grip of another cold winter with short days and no sun, or your busy schedule doesn't let you outside for longer than it takes to walk to your car. Indoor tanning is a fast and easy alternative to spending time outside.