(Image source from: Sunshine good for BP patients})

If you love the sunshine, there is good news for you. A new research has revealed that exposing your skin to the sun may help to reduce blood pressure. This will in turn reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack. The study was conducted in the Universities of Southampton and Edinburgh.

The research revealed that the level of nitric oxide (NO) in the skin and blood is altered by sunlight, which helps to bring down blood pressure. Findings of this research was published in Investigative Dermatology Journal.

NO, which exists abundantly in skin, in combination with its breakdown products regulates blood pressure. When the skin gets sun-exposure, little bits of NO gets transferred into the circulation from the skin, that lowers blood vessel tone. When blood pressure is lowered, the chances of heart attack and stroke also reduces, said Martin Feelisch, Professor of Experimental Medicine and Integrative Biology at the University of Southampton.

Results of this study state that due to UVA exposure blood vessels get dilated, which reduces blood pressure, and also alters NO levels in the circulation. Besides, the study revealed that pre-formed stores of NO in the skin's upper layers are also helpful in reducing blood pressure.

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