A trial of daily ultraviolet therapy to reduce cardiovascular risk factors
Dr Richard Weller is working out if exposure to sunlight can help people reduce their blood pressure and risk of heart disease and stroke. We already know that too much sunlight can increase our risk of developing skin cancer, but there is evidence that some sunlight can be good for our health. People living in sunnier parts of the world have lower blood pressure. Also people live longer and develop less heart disease if they get more sunlight in their lifetime. Dr Weller and his team have found that giving healthy people a single dose of artificial ultraviolet (UV) light can reduce blood pressure. The researchers suggest this happens because UV light mobilises a molecule called nitric oxide from human skin. The team has also found evidence that UV light prevents obesity and diabetes developing in mice. In this project, Dr Weller is carrying out a clinical trial in people with mild high blood pressure, to find out if a dose of UV light twice a day can lower their blood pressure to a sustained healthy level. He will also measure whether UV light exposure reduces biomarkers for diabetes. This research will show if UV light is effective at lowering blood pressure and if it could be a drug-free way to treat high blood pressure.
Project details
| Grant amount | £266,663 |
|---|---|
| Grant type | Project Grants |
| Application type | Project Grant |
| Start Date | 16 December 2016 |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Reference | PG/15/23/31362 |
| Status | In Progress |
