One of the country’s leading diet gurus has come under fire today after suggesting people don’t need to use sunscreen all year round.
Citing research in mice that claims vitamin D levels may be important for anti-cancer immunity, Professor Tim Spector said SPF 50 “blocks our natural defences”.
One of the study’s own authors, however, called his comments a “flagrant misrepresentation of our work.” Other doctors called the advice “reckless” and “irresponsible.”
However, dermatologists defended Professor Spector, who doubled down on his claim despite the backlash.
Citing research in mice that claims vitamin D levels may be important for anti-cancer immunity, Professor Tim Spector said SPF 50 “blocks our natural defences”. One of the study’s own authors, however, criticized his advice and called his comments a “flagrant misrepresentation of our work.”
Professor Antony Young, of the British Association of Dermatologists, told MailOnline: ‘On the one hand, UV rays from summer sunlight are an important source of vitamin D, vital for bone and muscle health.
‘On the other hand, excessive sun exposure is a risk factor for sunburn and skin cancer, the most common cancer in the UK.
‘How you balance this risk depends on your climate but also your skin tone.
‘People with lighter skin tones are at higher risk of sun damage and skin cancer.
‘In the UK, people with darker skin tones rarely need sun protection and vitamin D deficiency is more common.
“For this group, sun exposure and supplements can be good sources of vitamin D.”
He added: “In general, April to September is the period in the UK when sun protection is most needed.
‘Sun protection is recommended for people with lighter skin tones when the UV index is greater than three.
“A common concern is that sunscreen prevents us from making vitamin D. Fortunately, research shows this is not the case.”
Meanwhile, Dr Tess McPherson, a consultant dermatologist and president of the British Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Dermatology, told Times Radio there was “some confusion” about Professor Spector’s claims.
She said: ‘Production through the skin is one way to get vitamin D, but you can also get it through supplements.
‘If you lived in another country where UV levels were higher, you would need to protect your skin.
‘It will depend on the pigment of your skin. Some people won’t need to be as careful.
“If we’re in the middle of winter, when there’s little sun, it’s probably not necessary.”
He added: ‘The main message shouldn’t be that protecting your skin isn’t important. “That’s not a message we want people to hear.”
Every year, around 15,000 Britons and 100,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma, the most common form of skin cancer. It is the fifth most common cancer in the UK.
The incidence in Britain has risen faster than any other common cancer.
The increase has been attributed to increased exposure to UV rays from the sun or tanning beds.
Despite enormous advances in treatment, which have seen survival rise from less than 50 percent to more than 90 percent in the last decade, it still kills more than 2,000 people a year.
Melanoma usually grows quickly and can quickly pass through the skin and reach the blood vessels underneath.
Once cancer cells enter the bloodstream, the disease can spread throughout the body.
Responding to the backlash over his comments, Professor Spector today told MailOnline: ‘If you live in the UK, you simply don’t need to apply SPF 50 sunscreen daily.
“Studies have shown that in people with melanoma, lower levels of vitamin D are associated with worse outcomes and thicker tumors, a measure of the severity of the disease.”
‘Other research showed that melanoma patients who went on a sun holiday before diagnosis had thinner tumors.
He added: “While the vast majority of people do not need to use SPF 50 all year round in the UK, some people do need to take extra care if they plan to be in the sun for long periods.”
‘These people include those with a family history of melanoma, pale skin and freckles, and those with a large number of moles.
“But even for these people, wearing SPF 50 365 days a year is probably overkill and will likely leave them deficient in vitamin D.”
