Lack of vitamin D exposed 
From: Herald Sun September 27, 2009 10:29PM

There's a downside to being sun-smart and pale -- and it could even be life-threatening. 

Researchers believe a lack of exposure to the sun has contributed largely to more  people suffering a vitamin D deficiency.

While using sunscreen and avoiding sun exposure has reduced the instance of skin cancer, American preventive health expert Dr Greg Petersburg believes it has also created potentially one of the world's greatest health problems.

"Recent clinical studies have documented the fact that most people are vitamin D deficient. This has major implications for diseases including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypertension, and cancer,'' he said.

"Vitamin D is the forgotten hormone.''

Dr Petersburg believes a combination of lifestyle and dietary changes -- such as a lack of sun exposure, movement into darker industrial cities and a lack of vitamin D in diets -- have contributed to the large number of people with a vitamin D deficiency.

"For decades scientists assumed that recommended intake of vitamin D prevented bone disease, unaware of its far-reaching role in the major causes of death,'' he said. 

"Current studies suggest establishing new guidelines for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency.''


Dr Petersburg said as soon as the childhood bone disease rickets appeared under control, many health care professionals dropped the ball on vitamin D.

"We now know that rickets can be considered the tip of the vitamin D deficiency iceberg,'' he said.

Dr Petersburg will speak about vitamin D deficiency at the international 2009 Australasian Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine conference in Melbourne this Saturday.