http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3506655

Millions Deficient in Vital Vitamin D, Experts Warn

By John von Radowitz, Science Correspondent, PA News
Millions of Britons are deficient in a vitamin that protects against a 
host of diseases including rickets, diabetes and cancer, it was claimed 
today.

Experts called for urgent action to raise vitamin D levels, particularly 
among pregnant women, young children, and people with dark skin.

They suggested that one remedy might be widening vitamin D fortification 
of food, possibly to include bread and milk.

At present only breakfast cereals and margarines are fortified with 
vitamin D in the UK.

The experts also recommended taking vitamin D supplements such as cod 
liver oil capsules.

Fear of the sun and an “indoor” culture were both said to have 
contributed to vitamin D deficiency in Britain and other western 
countries.

About 80% of the vitamin obtained in the body is synthesised through the 
conversion of chemicals in the skin by sunlight.

But in Britain, from October to the end of March, the sun is too weak to 
produce any vitamin D.

Professor Graham Bentham, from the University of East Anglia, said: 
“During these winter months we rely on what we have stored in our body 
from summer exposure and what we get from diet.”

Although oily fish and egg yolk are good sources of the vitamin, it is 
not abundant in many foods.

The importance of vitamin D to all-round good health has only come to be 
recognised in the last two decades, the experts said.

Before then it was only thought to benefit the bones, and in particular 
protect against rickets.

Today it was clear that vitamin D deficiency was associated with a wide 
range of diseases, and that the vitamin was needed in higher doses than 
previously thought.

Dr Birgit Teucher, from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, who 
joined three colleagues to talk about vitamin D in London today, said: 
“Since the 1980s it has become increasingly apparent that vitamin D has 
important roles apart from its effects on bone.

“Shortage of vitamin D may be associated with a whole range of diseases, 
including muscle weakness, hypertension, auto-immune diseases including 
multiple sclerosis, certain types of cancer, and cardiovascular disease.”

There was evidence that the vitamin protected against breast, prostate 
ovarian and colon cancer, and had a major impact on diabetes.

It also reduced tissue damage caused by certain infections such as 
tuberculosis, leprosy and gum disease, as well as rheumatoid arthritis.

Diabetes expert Dr Barbara Boucher, from St Bartholomew’s and the London 
Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry, said vitamin D was needed 
for insulin to be released effectively.

Worldwide there had been an “explosion” of Type 2 diabetes, which was 
four times greater in black and Asian people living in the West. People 
with dark skins were less able to manufacture their own source of 
vitamin D from the sun.

Rates of insulin-dependent Type 1 diabetes were also rising “like mad”, 
said Dr Boucher.

Three different studies had shown that vitamin D supplements given to 
breastfeeding mothers and young children reduced the incidence of Type 1 
diabetes by 60% between birth and the age of 30.

Dr Boucher also pointed to increased rates of colon and prostate cancer 
as evidence of a lack of vitamin D in the population.

Professor Brian Wharton, from the Institute of Child Health in London, 
said there were many reports of rickets making a comeback, especially 
among Asian and Afro-Caribbean children.

He believed an over-reaction to “cover up” campaigns aimed at protecting 
people from skin cancer was partly responsible for the nationwide lack 
of vitamin D.

“I think it has played a role,” he said.

“There’s certainly no doubt that if you wear sunscreen vitamin D 
conversion goes down.

“I’m certainly not promoting sun ‘bingeing’ but we do need some sensible 
use of the sun, and we’ve been swinging too strongly against it.”

Dr Boucher said the way many people spent much of their lives indoors 
may be another factor.

“Indoor activities, such as working out in the gym or sitting at 
computers all day, might contribute to vitamin D deficiency,” she said.

Lack of exercise could also be involved, since fat acted as a “sink” 
which soaked up and stored vitamin D.

However she and other experts warned against seeking a solution from the 
sun. The UVB rays that produced vitamin D also caused skin cancer, and 
the disease was on the increase.

In 2003 there were 1,600 deaths from skin cancer in the UK, a rise of 7% 
on the previous year.

All agreed that dietary intake of vitamin D had to be increased.

In the United States milk was fortified with the vitamin, but not 
sufficiently. New studies had looked at the possibility of fortifying 
orange juice and bread.

But care had to be taken not to overdose the population. Very high 
levels of vitamin D could be toxic, leading to kidney and brain damage.

There is currently no recommended level of vitamin D intake between the 
ages of four and 64.

Infants are supposed to get about 10 micrograms a day but on average 
receive three to four micrograms.

Professor Bentham suggested that everyone should be taking about 12.5 
micrograms of the vitamin.

Dr Boucher thought the right level was more than 5 micrograms and less 
than 25.

She said: “The one message that should come out of all this if you want 
to reduce the burden of chronic disease in years to come is that no-one 
should be short of vitamin D.”

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