Full-Spectrum Sunlight Deficiency as a Plausible Substantial Contributor to Non-Communicable Diseases
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This paper proposes that full-spectrum sunlight deficiency is a plausible and substantial contributor to the global epidemic of non-communicable diseases. It argues that sunlight acts through five independent biological pathways: near-infrared stimulation of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (the primary pathway), UVB-driven vitamin D synthesis, UVA-mediated nitric oxide release, visible-light retinal dopamine signaling, and circadian photoentrainment. The multi-pathway model explains a persistent anomaly in the literature—strong observational associations between greater sun exposure and lower mortality that are not reproduced by vitamin D supplementation trials. The paper incorporates recent evidence (including UK Biobank sensor data and Mendelian randomization results), evaluates the hypothesis within a Bayesian framework, and identifies the definitive test still needed: a full-spectrum phototherapy randomized controlled trial.
Author: Cannell, John
Language: English
Topic: Vitamin D Research Studies
Subfield: Pathology and Forensic Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7170141514
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