Want to live longer? Make sure that you expose yourself to sunlight in moderation daily, for a new study has revealed that vitamin D, which is produced in the body in course of the exposure, cuts down mortality rates.
Previous studies have indicated that it might offer a variety of other health benefits, including protecting against cancer, peripheral artery disease and tuberculosis.
Now, a team at Graz University in Austria has found that the “sunshine vitamin” helps the body absorb calcium and facilitates growth of bones, which in turn do have a positive impact on death rates.
“This is the first association study that shows vitamin D affects mortality regardless of the (primary) reason for death,” the daily telegraph quoted lead researcher Harald Dobnig as saying.
Vitamin D is also found in milk and in fatty fish like salmon, but many people do not get enough of it. A lack of it can lead to rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.
Sources: The Times Of India