TRENDS
MARIKA SBOROS: Expert rains on the parade of sunshine vitamin’s health hype
Professor says vitamin D claims are a con
People taking vitamin D supplements are probably wasting their time and money, says British genetics expert Prof Tim Spector. Vitamin D is a “pseudo vitamin” that has created a “pseudo disease” of deficiency that vitamin companies, food manufacturers, public health departments, patient groups and charities encourage, he adds. Spector is a rheumatologist, professor of genetic epidemiology and director of the TwinsUK Registry at Kings College in London. He was recently elected to the UK Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. He is the author of The Diet Myth, The Real Science Behind What We Eat. One chapter deals with vitamin D misinformation. Spector has worked in vitamin D research for 20 years and prescribed supplementation to patients for 25 years. He changed his opinions and practice after robust research showing that supplementation for healthy people is risky. Other experts insist vitamin D deficiency is commonplace, even in countries with abundant sunshine, such as SA....
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