Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Solar Energy – Effects on Health

Energy from the Sun is main source of energy on the Earth from the time immemorial. Plants use it in the synthesis of the food in the process called photoynthesis. Animals, indirectly, consume this energy in their food. Consumption of animals and plants on domestic level further enhanced human access to it. The human body synthesises vitamin D from solar radiation particulally from the UVB band of ultraviolet light, and excessive isolation from the sun can result in its deficiency lest ample quantity of it is taken in diet or in the form of supplements.

Expousre to solar radiations in excess has bees associates with various types of skin cancers resulting from ultraviolet portion of radiations from sun light or sun lamps. Mild to severe inflammations effects on skin can cause sunburns which can be avoided by the use of suitable sunscreen creams, lotions or by timely making of melanocytes with added exposure to the Sun. Early ageing is yet another damaging impact of ultraviolet exposure, also known to be as skin photo-damaging while having less treatable cosmetic effects. Such health hazard associated with skin are more concerning to the people in general, which have its basis from the fact that 10% depletion in the ozone layer could cause 25% rise in skin cancer.

On the other hand, an isolation from radiations from the Sun is hypothised to be the premier cause of a serious form of the winter blues, seasonal affective disorder (SAD). However, its symptoms are more to be found in the localities far from the tropical regions. Apart from druds' prescriptions, its treatment, mostly involves replcaing the Sun light with sun lamps which are tuned to particular visible (not ultraviolet) wavelengths of light or ful spectrum bulbs.

Recent studies have been made which concludes increased risks of multiple sclerosis later in a person's life is the aftermath of his increased exposure to solar radiations in his early life.

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