Why does exposure to natural light increase symptoms?
People with significant Th1 inflammatory illnesses often complain of being sensitive to sun and bright lights. Sun and bright lights may cause an increase in symptoms. An increase in any symptom following sun or bright lights exposure may be due to this exposure.
Photosensitivity will affect the recovery process until inflammation is significantly reduced. During that time, which may take a year or more, it is essential to avoid as much sun exposure as possible.
How do I know if I'm photosensitive?
The reaction to sun/ light exposure may be delayed. Before beginning the Marshall Protocol and avoiding sun and bright lights, many people do not associate this delayed reaction with their disease symptoms, since daily exposure and a consistent elevated 1,25-D, can mask the effect of this inflammatory process.
Once you diligently begin avoiding all sources of sun and bright light, it is easier to correlate the sun/light exposure with its effect on symptoms when the exposure to sun and bright lights is sporadic.
There is no typical length of time between natural light exposure and a symptom flare. Some will feel the effects within an hour or two while others may not experience an increase in symptoms for a day or longer.
Immunopathology vs sun exposure symptoms
There are two different and independent phenomena now happening when one is on the Marshall Protocol; both cause a temporary rapid rise in 1,25-D; one is immunopathology, while one is not.
These two phenomena, immunopathology and light exposure, simultaneously, can cause a much more elevated rise in 1,25-D than either would independently, causing what feels like a more intense immune system reaction.
What you may experience from the sun/light exposure, is a rise in 1,25-D and NOT an immune system reaction at all, but a sun flare. A sun flare would be similar to pre-MP inflammation.
Exposure to sun or bright lights does not result in immunopatholgoy. It causes 1,25-D to go up. The rise in 1,25-D causes symptoms of hypervitaminosis-D. This may feel like immunopathology but it is a flare in symptoms due to elevated 1,25D, not the result of the immune systme killing bacteria.
The palliative effect of the sun is felt when 1,25-D is high and stable. When you are on the MP, 1,25-D is lowered and fluctuates rapidly due to immunopathology, so sun exposure is not likely to make you feel better.
Symptoms in response to sun light exposure are not due to an increase in antibiotic potency or an increase in immunopathology. They are caused by a rapid increase in 1,25-D and the hormonal shift this causes.
Sunlight exposure increases the level of 1,25-D and might raise it high enough to cause a flare in cardiac inflammation and cardiac symptoms. Diligent avoidance of sunlight is particularly important for the Th1 patient with cardiac symptoms to avoid a sudden severe cardiac event.
The increase in 1,25-D due to sun exposure will increase inflammation everywhere and may not be perceived as photosensitivity but will be evident as any type of symptom, including worsening lab work.
Dr. Marshall has said, "..sun exposure may seem minor but it causes your 1,25-D to flare and that results in an increase in symptoms. The effects are usually delayed for a day or two but sometimes are felt immediately. Some people can get by with a little cheating on sun exposure without feeling too bad. Others cannot continue because they become too symptomatic."
25-D and photosensitivity
Natural light has very little effect on 25-D. A small amount of 25-D may be generated by exposure to sunlight. Sunlight catalyzes the production of the Vitamins D from 7-dehydro-cholesterol in the skin. In healthy folks a significant amount of 25-D will be generated, but in folks with Th1 disease that will energetically be converted to 1,25-D by the disease process, and 1,25-D is thus the resulting primary product. In healthy folks there will be remanent 25-D generated.
1,25-D is directly synthesized from 7-dehydrocholesterol when sunlight falls on the keratinocytes of the skin. Because the keratinocytes of Th1 patients are parasitized by CWD bacteria, they produce interferon-gamma (which is part of the bacterial defense mechanism) and TNF-alpha. These cytokines cause the cells of Th1 patients to produce much more 1,25-D in their skin than healthy folks. In patients with Th1 inflammation, the production, by sunlight, of 1,25-D in the skin predominates the production of 25-D. Studies show that all 25-D produced in the skin from sunlight is hydroxylated directly into 1,25-D, leaving no 25-D to be stored in fatty tissues.
"The keratinocytes of the skin can, by comparison, make 1,25-D directly from 7-dehydro-cholesterol, and they do this when exposed to sunlight. Because the final stage of this reaction is also catalyzed by any Interferon-gamma from any inflammation paracrine to the keratinocytes, any and all 25-D which is made from sunlight is energetically converted to 1,25-D (OK, well, NEARLY all  ). Thus sunlight is not usually a significant contributor to the 25-D levels of Th1 patients. " ..Trevor..
Therefore, you cannot judge your level of photosensitivity by your level of 25-D.
"It is far more likely that exposure of the skin to the sun will directly produce 1,25-D in a Th1 patient than 25-D. This is both because of the metabolism, as described in our paper and because an earlier in-vitro study showed just that
Look at the 25-D2 vs 25-D3 levels, if they were measured (a few labs do this) for the presence of high intakes of ergosterol from plant sources (eg soy). Otherwise you just need to go over every thing you eat or take, one at a time to try and identify the problem area." ..Trevor.. Aug08
Sunscreens
"Not only is the sun block insufficient, the concept that it will allow you to freely move out-of-doors is flawed.
You cannot change the way your body works as it heals. Nobody, not one person, has managed to recover without drastically changing their lifestyles during their recovery." ..Trevor..
Sustained versus occasional light exposure
Progress in killing bacteria is inhibited when the immune system is suppressed by sustained exposure to natural light because1,25-D is elevated and remains elevated. See Why do I feel better in the summer? And worse in the winter?
Folks on the MP generally avoid natural light falling on their skin. When occasional natural light exposure generates the production of 1,25-D, they may experience a sudden hormonal shift (either as 1,25-D goes up or later when it comes down) which causes unpleasant symptoms.
In a nutshell
If you get enough natural light on your skin on a regular basis, 1,25-D can elevate high enough to become immunosuppressive and stop bacterial killing. Most folks on the MP do not get enough regular sun exposure to offset the Benicar blockade. But they often get a 'bolus' of natural light exposure that causes an increase in symptoms due to rapid hormonal (1,25-D and others) fluctuation.
Natural light and bright artificial light in the eyes causes neurological symptoms due to its effect on the amydala but doesn't raise 1,25-D much to prevent bacterial killing.
The main effect of light exposure for someone on the MP is the intermittent symptom exacerbation which puts some people at the tipping point of total tolerable symptoms making it difficult to make progress with ramping antibiotics.
Related FAQs:
Testimonials to the Need for Avoiding Light
How to Avoid Sunlight and Bright Lights
Do car windows, cloudy skies or geographical location affect the amount of sun exposure?
What are the recommendations regarding sun/light exposure?
The effect of light on the brain (Amygdala)
Photosensitivity During Recovery From Th1 Inflammatory Disease
Can I go out in the sun again after remission? How will I know when I've recovered?
Light avoidance simplified
The Myths and Realities of Vitamin D and Sunlight
Last edited on Sat Aug 2nd, 2008 07:29 by Foundation Staff
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