In Defense Of Sunlight: The *Real Truth* About The Sun, Vitamin D, UVA, UVB, Sunscreen & More, With Rowan Jacobsen. episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 8, 2026 · 52 MIN

In Defense Of Sunlight: The *Real Truth* About The Sun, Vitamin D, UVA, UVB, Sunscreen & More, With Rowan Jacobsen.

from Boundless Life · host Ben Greenfield

Full show notes: https://bengreenfieldlife.com/sunpodcast In this episode, journalist Rowan Jacobsen, author of In Defense of Sunlight, challenges everything you thought you knew about sun exposure. Modeled after Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, his book argues we've been gaslit into a "zero-sun policy" the science does not actually support. You'll hear why melanoma is tied to intermittent sunburns rather than steady sun, the surprising 2024 research suggesting UVB may be protective while UVA is the real concern, and how office culture, window glass, and car windows may all be hidden pieces of the skin cancer puzzle. You'll also learn why the vitamin D supplement story is more complicated than the pills suggest, how sunlight lowers blood pressure through nitric oxide and lifts your mood through natural opioids, where sunscreen genuinely helps and where hats and shirts do better, what to make of the new sunscreen ingredient Bemotrizinol, and how a simple 30-day reset of your light exposure could transform your sleep. Episode Sponsors: Dr. Murray Natural Products – ThymoQuin®: A clinically researched black seed oil that supports healthy cortisol levels and resilience to everyday stress, and the only one meeting U.S. Pharmacopeia guidelines. Visit doctormurray.com/ben and use code BEN25 for 25% off all Dr. Murray Natural Products. Hiya: Give your kids the full-body nourishment they need in a best-selling children's vitamin. Get 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/BEN (it is not available on their regular website). ButcherBox: Premium, responsibly sourced meat and seafood delivered to your door. New customers can choose a free protein for a year, plus $20 off the first box and free shipping, at ButcherBox.com/BEN. TruDiagnostic: An advanced at-home epigenetic test measuring over a million biomarkers for personalized, data-driven insights into your aging, energy, and overall health. Visit TruDiagnostic.com and use code BEN20 for 20% off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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In Defense Of Sunlight: The *Real Truth* About The Sun, Vitamin D, UVA, UVB, Sunscreen & More, With Rowan Jacobsen.

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