Vitamin D danger of our indoor lives: Lack of sunlight increases risk of heart disease and cancer

Study found found that 1 in 10 men and women aged 40 to 80 were deficient

Research also found that adults with the highest levels of vitamin D were least likely to die

Thousands of middle aged adults could be at higher risk of fractures, heart disease, cancer and diabetes due to a lack of vitamin D, research shows.

It found that an average 1 in 10 men and women aged 40 to 80 were deficient – probably because they were spending too much time indoors.

But the study by Cambridge University also found that adults with the highest levels of vitamin D were least likely to die

The vitamin is thought to play a key role in several chemical reactions and has been shown to protect against cancers, heart disease, diabetes and boost fertility.

Researchers looked at 14,641 men and women aged 42 to 82 from 1997 to 2012.

They found that 9 per cent of men and 13 per cent of women did not have enough vitamin D.

The greatest source of vitamin D comes from a reaction of sun on the skin but in the UK and other countries in the Northern Hemisphere, this can only be made in the summer sun.

It is also found in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel and milk.

The ideal levels of vitamin D in the blood are somewhere between 50 and 90 nanmoles per litre, with less than 30 nanomoles per litre being considered deficient.

But the study found that for every 20 nanomoles per litre the vitamin D levels went up, the chances of dying reduced by 8 per cent.

Professor Kay-Tee Khaw from the Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, said: ‘Our data suggest that a modest increase in vitamin D in the general population may minimise the number of people with very low levels of the vitamin and may have some benefits even for those whose levels are acceptable.

‘This could be achieved by taking modest daily vitamin D supplements or eating oily fish two or three times a week and increasing physical activity as we are more efficient at producing vitamin D if we are physically active.

‘We only need around 20 minutes a day of sunlight in summer to ensure that we have sufficient levels to see us through the winter and must be careful as we know that over-exposure to sunlight – particularly if we burn – raises skin cancer risk.’

Professor Nick Wareham, Director of the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge said: ‘We know that vitamin D deficiency can be detrimental to health, but until now there has been no clear answer as to what is actually the ideal amount of the vitamin.

‘Outside of those whose levels are extremely low, we’ve had no way of knowing how many people are actually getting less vitamin D than they need.’

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Graham