Olive Oil and Skin Cancer

[Guest guest]

Virgin olive oil may protect against skin cancer

Last Updated Thu May 11 09:25:38 2000

 

LONDON - Scientists now say an application of virgin olive oil after

sunbathing may protect against skin cancer.

 

What is skin cancer?

 

It's a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the outer

layers of the skin.

 

What causes it?

 

Sunburn and sunlight can damage your skin, which can lead to skin cancer.

 

The total amount of sun received over the years, and overexposure

resulting in sunburn, can cause skin cancer.

 

Researchers from Japan's Kobe University School of Medicine performed

experiments on hairless mice that underwent several sun lamp sessions.

 

Five minutes after the sunbathing treatment, scientists covered the mice

with either regular olive oil, virgin olive oil, or nothing.

 

Eighteen weeks after the first sunlamp session, mice not given any oil

treatment as well as those covered with regular olive oil started to

develop tumours, according to the study published in New Scientist magazine.

 

Those slathered with virgin olive oil — which is of better quality than

regular olive oil — took six weeks longer to show any symptoms of

cancer. The tumours that did develop were smaller and less numerous.

There was also less DNA damage to their skin cells, the scientists reported.

 

Researchers told New Scientist that though olive oil isn't a sunscreen,

rubbing it on after sunbathing may help protect skin from UV damage.

 

Scientists say UV radiation creates " free radicals that damage DNA in

skin cells and trigger abnormal growth, often leading to skin cancer. "

 

Vitamin E and other antioxidants, according to the magazine, fight

against these radicals and are thought to protect against UV damage.

 

Written by CBC News Online staff