Podbit · Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast
Multiple studies have linked citrus consumption to elevated skin cancer risk — not because of vitamin C, but because of compounds called psoralens. The effect is so well documented that 'margarita burn,' where people get badly sunburned the day after pounding tropical cocktails, is a recognized phenomenon.
Where this was said
At 1:04:42 · chapter starts 1:03:40
As the conversation winds down, Rowan leaves the audience with an unexpected data point: several studies show citrus raises skin cancer risk. The culprit isn't vitamin C but psoralens — naturally occurring compounds in citrus that sensitize skin to UV radiation. The phenomenon is well-documented enough to have its own name: 'margarita burn,' the intensified sunburn experienced after pounding tropical cocktails on vacation. Matt, who has recently planted a lime, lemon, and kumquat tree, takes the news philosophically. Both agree that skin cancer — particularly the common non-melanoma types — is something they're not enormously worried about, especially given the offsetting benefits of sun exposure on all the other major killers.
Multiple studies show citrus consumption raises the risk of skin cancer, possibly due to psoralens in the fruit, which is why 'margarita burn' is a known phenomenon.
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