New research has found strong evidence that vitamin D deficiency greatly increases the risk of death

New Uni SA research has uncovered the simple activity you can perform daily to help prevent premature death - and it’s not exercise.

New research from the University of South Australia suggests that not getting enough sun is likely having adverse effects on your long term health.

The study highlights vitamin D deficiency, a condition that affects one in three Australians, as a factor responsible for premature death.

The findings published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that the more severe the vitamin D deficiency is, the greater risk you have of dying from cancer, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory related diseases.

UniSA PhD candidate and first author Joshua Sutherland says that it has been challenging to establish causal effects for the connection between vitamin D and premature death.

“While severe vitamin D deficiency is rarer in Australia than elsewhere in the world, it can still affect those who have health vulnerabilities, the elderly, and those who do not acquire enough vitamin D from healthy sun exposure and dietary sources,” Mr Sutherland said.

“Our study provides strong evidence for the connection between low levels of vitamin D and mortality, and this is the first study of its kind to also include respiratory disease related mortality as an outcome.

“Vitamin D deficiency has been connected with mortality, but as clinical trials have often failed to recruit people with low vitamin D levels or have been prohibited from including vitamin deficient participants, it’s been challenging to establish causal relationships.”

Researchers from the Uni SA vitamin D study Joshua Sutherland, Professor Elina Hyppönen, and Ang Zhou. Photo: Isaac Selby

While many Australians may have vitamin D deficiency, Sutherland believes the likelihood of it being severe remains relatively rare.

“People with severe deficiency may or may not be aware of their vitamin D status, and it depends on how chronic their deficiency is, severe deficiency in children is usually notable but symptoms may be harder to detect in the elderly who may have multiple illnesses,” Mr Sutherland said.

“Areas of the world such as the northern hemisphere where the average population’s vitamin D status is much lower than Australia, and where severe vitamin D deficiency is more common, have a continued public health mandate to keep awareness raised regarding healthy vitamin D levels.”

The director of UniSA’s Australian Centre for Precision Health, Professor Elina Hyppönen, says that more needs to be done in order to reduce the risk of premature death associated with low vitamin D levels.

“The take-home message here is simple, the key is in prevention,” Prof Hyppönen said.

“It is not good enough to think about vitamin D deficiency when already facing life-challenging situations, when early action could make all the difference.

“It is very important to continue public health efforts to ensure the vulnerable and elderly maintain sufficient vitamin D levels throughout the year.”

The results from the study are available via the Annals of Internal Medicine below.

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M21-3324