Vitamin D supplements warning
Tuesday October 4th, 2011
Many people may need to start taking routine supplements of vitamin D as efforts are stepped up to cut skin cancer risk, experts warned today.
Researchers
have identified pale-skinned people who burn quickly as being at greatest
risk.
Vitamin D is normally generated in the body through exposure to the sun and it is critical for bone health - as well as helping to prevent multiple sclerosis.
The latest analysis suggests that many fair-skinned people suffer deficits of vitamin D because they tend to avoid the sun.
A number of charities have worked together on the project including Cancer Research UK, the British Association of Dermatologists, Diabetes UK, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the National Heart Forum, the National Osteoporosis Society and the Primary Care Dermatology Society.
Professor Julia Newton-Bishop, of Leeds University, tested vitamin D levels in about 1,200 people and found that well over half - 730 - had inadequate levels of the vitamin.
The lowest levels were found in those with fair skin, she reports in the journal Cancer Causes & Control.
Professor Newton-Bishop said: "Fair-skinned individuals who burn easily are not able to make enough vitamin D from sunlight and so may need to take vitamin D supplements.
"This should be considered for fair-skinned people living in a mild climate like the UK and melanoma patients in particular.”
Sara Hiom, of Cancer Research UK, urged caution. Experts are still debating the optimal level of vitamin D. A level of 25nmol/L is agreed to be deficient but Professor Newton-Bishop measured levels of 60nmol/L, which some say is the optimal level.
Ms Hiom said: "We must be careful about raising the definition of deficiency or sufficiency to higher levels until we have more results from trials showing that maintaining such levels has clear health benefits and no health risks.
"If you are worried about your vitamin D levels, our advice is to go see your doctor."
The determinants of serum vitamin D levels in participants in a melanoma case-control study living in a temperate climate. Newton-Bishop J et al. Cancer Causes & Control October 4 2011
Tags: Cancer | Dermatology | Diet & Food | UK News
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