More than half of EU over-60s are deficient in vitamin D
More than one billion people worldwide - one sixth of the world's population - are not getting enough vitamin D. In Europe, more than one-half of the over-60s suffer from vitamin D deficiency, increasing the risks of bone disease and cancer. Speaking at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Glasgow, Professor Roger Bouillon from Leuven University in Belgium said that the health consequences of insufficient vitamin D could be serious, with increased incidences of cancers and other chronic diseases in later life. 'We already know that insufficient vitamin D increases the risk for osteoporosis, falls and fractures,' said Professor Bouillon. 'This is preventable by additional calcium and vitamin D intake for the elderly people. 'There is however new and growing evidence that a mild vitamin D deficiency is also associated with more tuberculosis, and some epidemiological studies suggest an increased risk for colon, breast and prostate cancer, and also auto-immune diseases such as type 1 diabetes. Animal data clearly supports a role for vitamin D metabolites in the regulation of cell proliferation (cancer) and the immune system (auto-immune diseases and infection such as tuberculosis).' Vitamin D was discovered more than 100 years ago, and is mainly manufactured in the skin through interactions with sunlight, although vitamin D is also available in margarine, egg yolk and oily fish. The vitamin has long been associated with good bone health, but recent studies have found links between increased vitamin D intake and better general health. Worldwide, the problem may be greater. Research shows that, in Europe, the elderly and immigrant populations with dark skins are the groups most frequently found to have low vitamin D levels, which suggests that people with paler skins are able to metabolise vitamin D from sunlight more easily. 'If these studies do show the benefits we expect, then more than a billion people of all ages around the world would need to increase their vitamin D intake,' said Professor Bouillon. However, the wavelength of light required to make vitamin D is the same as that which ages the skin and can produce skin cancers. Consequently, Professor Bouillon advocates dietary supplements of vitamin D. 'As this insufficiency of vitamin D is a worldwide problem we need large-scale prospective studies to prove that improved vitamin D intake translates into less cancer, auto-immune diseases and better global health. Recent meta-analysis of vitamin D studies in the US found that increased doses of just 25 micrograms of vitamin D could cut the incidences of some chronic diseases by as much as 50 per cent. However, that study did also warn of the dangers of over-indulgence in vitamin D, which could cause damage to the liver and kidneys. For the elderly, Professor Bouillon suggests an increase in both calcium and vitamin D - up to 1g extra calcium per day and 400 to 800 IU of extra vitamin D per day.
Countries
Belgium