Addicted to Tanning

People seem to be able to get addicted to almost anything these days – drugs, nicotine, and alcohol are in the foreground, of course, but then there’s gambling, sex, binge eating, inhalants, Internet, shopping, and more. And now, tanning!

Frequent tanners (8-15 visits to a tanning saloon a month) were compared with infrequent tanners (1 visit or less a month) after being given a placebo or naltrexone, a drug which blocks opiate receptors and produces withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to opiates. They were then asked to tan under an ultraviolet (UV) light or an identical-looking non-UV light. The frequent tanners preferred the UV light, but this preference was blocked by naltrexone. And 4 of the 8 frequent tanners, but none of the infrequent tanners, had withdrawal-like symptoms (jitteriness, nausea) after naltrexone.

These findings may explain why some people are obsessive sunbathers. It’s not just about looking good, but also feeling good. The researchers suggest that tanning may produce endorphins, which are like opioid substances.

Not a very harmful addiction, some may say. True, as long as they use plenty of protective suntan lotion (SPF 15 or higher)!