With temperatures exceeding 86°F (30°C) in parts of the UK this week, many of us may find ourselves gunning for an ice cream or few chilled pints in a beer garden.
But scientists claim that it may not just be our desire to cool ourselves off that leads us to reach for these extra treats while in the sunshine.
A new study has found that exposure to sunlight stimulates the release of a hunger hormone from the skin – but the effects are only prevalent in men.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel claim that males are more likely to gain weight in the summer due to this hormone.
However, in women, the sex hormone oestrogen interferes with the release of this hunger hormone, meaning it does not lead to a change in appetite.
‘These results identify the skin as a major mediator of energy homeostasis and may lead to therapeutic opportunities for sex-based treatments of endocrine-related diseases,’ the team wrote.
A new study has found that exposure to sunlight stimulates…
