August/September 2007

Building Social Capital
Craig Comstock

The Benefits of Relocalizing
Jan Spencer

The World's First Truly Global Empire Interview with John Perkins
Amy Goodman

An Idea That Can Bring Us Together Interview with Howard Zinn
Jason Francis

Red Earth Descendents to Host Upcoming Native EcoSymposium
Jane Ayers

Sunscreen Scrutiny
Jody Woodruff

The Best Health Care is Reserved for Congress
Don Sloan, MD

Traveling to Kabul with Nonviolent Communication
Selene Aitken

Exploring the Gifts and Opportunities of Mid-Life: A Jungian Perspective
Marla Estes

Living in Sad Times: The Depression Epicemic, and Some Green Notes
Gaea Yudron

Lift Yourself Into A Brand New World
Guy Finley

Cosmic Calendar
Salina Rain

BACK TO TOP

Sunscreen Scrutiny

By Jody Woodruff

A recent review of 400 scientific studies which investigated 786 name brand sunscreens reports that only 17% of the products are both safe and effective.

After 29 years of contention and debate, the FDA still has failed to set mandatory sunscreen safety standards for the US. Up to this point, the best they have been able to come up with is to recommend that people stay out of the sun from 10am to 4pm. Not surprisingly, we lag behind most other countries when it comes to sunscreen products that are safe and that work. To their satisfaction, US companies remain free to make their own decisions about content, quality and advertising claims. Moreover, the FDA is now in violation of a Congressional mandate requiring the agency to complete sunscreen safety regulations by May 2006. Clearly, the FDA is unconcerned about protecting the public from products that don’t work or are actually harmful.

As happens more and more, non-profit organizations are picking up the slack, notably in this case, the Environmental Working Group (EWG), based in Wash-ington, DC. In a new review of 400 scientific studies that investigated 786 name brand sunscreens, they report evidence that many of the products are neither safe nor effective.

Thanks to the recommendation of the medical pro-fession and commercial advertising, more Americans than ever are using sunscreen products. Popular products offer high SPF ratings, waterproof claims and/or advertise broad spectrum protection. And in general, people believe the claims. The EWG information, however, indicates that public trust has been misplaced as it appears that as many as 86% of the 786 sunscreen products either offer inadequate protection or actually contain harmful ingredients. On the other hand, 17% of the products are both safe and effective, meaning that they block both UVA and UVB radiation, remain stable in sunlight, and contain none or few ingredients that could be harmful. In coming up with a worst and best list after this review, the EWG identifies the products that provide good protection with ingredients that offer minimal health risks to users. (Find out more about the sunscreen you use at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com or www.ewg.org/sunscreen.)

A myriad of problems were discovered in the 86% of unsuitable products: Many may prevent sunburn but lack UVA protection (rays linked to skin damage, immune system issues, potential skin cancer). Some have unstable contents that actually break down in the sun, ultimately letting UVA radiation through. And at least half of the sunscreens on the market make marketing claims that are either false or misleading, e.g., “all day protection,” “blocks all harmful rays,” “waterproof.” Other concerns are even more serious. Several products contain small amounts of toxic materials which in some cases are absorbed into the blood, while others act like estrogen and can disrupt hormone systems. These hazards are completely unnecessary, however, because in Europe, UVA filters are available and if ever approved by the FDA, could replace these potentially harmful ingredients.

Our obsession with slathering every inch of our bodies with sunscreen raises another issue, long neglected according to Dr. Joseph Mercola (www.mercola.com), who points out that sunshine is essential for staying healthy and is our best source for essential vitamin D. The sun also provides other benefits, such as combating depression, and Dr. Mercola cites evidence that exposure to sunlight may actually decrease certain types of cancer. Dr. Mercola also suggests boosting your “internal sunscreen” from within with antioxidants from whole fresh vegetables and fruits (not the juice) like raspberries, blackberries, blueberries.

A study in the April 2004 Journal of Chromatography found that there is significant penetration of all sun-screen agents they studied into the skin. When you use most sunscreens, your body is absorbing synthetic chemicals, some of which are quite dangerous. Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), which is present in 90 percent of sunscreen brands, was found to kill mouse cells even at low doses.

A recent study by Dr. William Grant, published in Cancer journal, contradicts the prevailing advice about sunlight. Although over exposure to sunlight can create skin cancers, underexposure is believed to contribute to 13 malignancies, primarily reproductive and digestive cancers along with tumors of the bladder, uterus, esophagus, rectum and stomach. Risk factors are higher in Western Europe and North America and in the US; cancers of the reproductive and digestive systems are twice as high in New England than in the south west. It is estimated that parts of these regions may be dark enough in winter that vitamin D synthesis shuts down completely.

Vitamin D, which aids in the absorption of calcium and helps to maintain strong bones, is also believed to help improve conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, fatigue and autoimmune disorders. Nevertheless, significant factors to remember are that vitamin D added to milk and contained in most supplements is a synthetic form and not as effective as vitamin D from sunlight or natural food sources such as cod liver oil. Also, darker skinned people require 10 to 20 times the sun exposure time than lighter skinned people to build up the same amount of vitamin D.

Another nutrient which is necessary for skin protection is folic acid. In his Nutrition & Healing Newsletter (June 2002), Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, MD discussed the foods and supplements that everyone—especially those who get a lot of sun exposure—should consume in abundance. Dr. Wright explains that vitamins C and E are very important to relieving stress to the skin, but says a deficiency in folic acid “is a major contributor to skin cancer risk.” He explains that it is sunlight’s destructive effect on folic acid in the skin, not the actual sun exposure itself, that accounts for a significant number of skin cancers and says “Folic acid (along with vitamin B12 and zinc) is absolutely key to DNA reproduction and repair.” The best dietary sources of folic acid include fresh spinach, kale, broccoli, green beans and other dark green vegetables, brewers yeast, lima beans, cantaloupe, watermelon, and wheat germ. In addition, Dr. Wright suggests supplementing with 1,000 mcg of folic acid daily, and even more if you spend a lot of time in the sun or have a family history of skin cancer.

While the best way to get vitamin D is from the sun, remember to avoid getting sunburned—you’re safe if your skin turns only slightly pink. Expose more than your hands and face to get full benefit of the sun’s rays. Maintain a healthy level of vitamin D in your blood. If your doctor doesn’t routinely include testing for vitamin D, ask for it. (vitamin D supplementation should be monitored be-cause in excess it can be harmful.) Researchers still recommend using sunscreen as it does protect against basal cell carcinoma, but use it sensibly when needed. Check out your sunscreen against the EWG list at www.ewg.org/sunscreen. Dr. Mercola recommends Aubrey Organics sun block and Green Tea Sunblock for children, SPF 25. But remember, although these products are non-toxic, they still prevent you from metabolizing vitamin D, so use them with caution.

In the larger picture, we need policies that require companies to use safe contents and to document the safety of all chemicals before marketing. In addition, while the FDA has guidelines for sunburn (UVB) protection, they have no requirements for UVA protection. The FDA must set safety standards for all aspects of the product and mandate that they be followed. At present, the voluntary system by manufacturers to use only safe products clearly fails.

This issue of unsafe products extends to more than just sunscreens, however, and government agencies must be held responsible. We are fortunate to have non-profit organizations to enlighten us about the various hazards that exist, but they shouldn’t have to protect us from the failure our own government agencies to set safe standards. Finally, it is up to the individual to stay informed and have a balanced relationship with the sun.

Jody Woodruff is a retired social worker and educational film writer who now writes freelance from Talent, Oregon.