Caffeine May Naturally Reduce Your Risk of Skin Cancer from Sun Exposure

Good news for coffee addicts like me! According to a new study, caffeine may naturally reduce your risk of skin cancer from sun exposure.   The Huffington Post reports Rutgers University researcher Allan Conney's findings:

"The study we did with colleagues at the University of Washington identified the ATR kinase pathway as being inhibited by caffeine." The result? More DNA damaged cells are killed off, potentially preventing non-melanoma (basal or squamous cell) skin cancer from ever developing.

But caffeine doesn't only inhibit this important protein. Caffeine itself also acts as a sunscreen, absorbing harmful UV rays, according to Conney. So will your sunscreen contain a shot of caffeine one day? "I would think that's a real possibility," he says.

Until that day comes, there's some good news for coffee drinkers: You're already getting some sun protective benefits from your daily cup of joe. A 2007 study of nearly 94,000 women found that those who sipped caffeinated coffee daily had an almost 11 percent lower risk of non-melanoma skin cancer. Women who drank six or more cups of coffee on a daily basis saw a 30 percent reduction in risk.

Actually, many sunscreens already contain coffee, like Nature's Gate Mineral Kid's block. How well topical versus ingested coffee protects your skin, I don't know.

Be sure to always check the Environmental Working Group's sunscreen guide to find the safest protection.

Image:    Some rights reserved by Stepheye

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