Postmenopausal sun exposure may be harmful At doctor visits, women are often asked to list their dietary supplements and medications. But what about the time they spend soaking up vitamin D?
A new study has found that high exposure to UV-radiation is associated with an adverse hormone balance in postmenopausal women.
UV-radiation affects the body through pathways that can have both positive and negative health effects, such as immunoregulation and vitamin D production. Different vitamin D metabolites are associated with higher or lower concentrations of estrogens and have the potential to alter the female sex hormone balance. When a woman reaches menopause, we see the levels of estrogens decline and an increase of other hormones, called gonadotropins, explained Kai Triebner, researcher at the University of Bergen.
Credit: Kai Triebner
UV-radiation can affect hormone levels of postmenopausal women negatively and this may contribute to several health issues.
The concentration of oestrogens in the blood affects a woman s health in many ways. For example, oestrogens contribute to a strong bone structure and help wounds heal more quickly: When a woman reaches menopause, we see the levels of oestrogens decline and an increase of other hormones, called gonadotropins , says Kai Triebner at the University of Bergen.
For several years, he has studied the hormonal balance of women in relation to menopause: What effects changing hormone levels have on health and wellbeing, how environmental factors affects hormone levels and how to estimate the progress of the menopausal transition, among other things. Read more: Calculating menopause with fuzzy logic.