Trust me, wearing sunscreen all year round really DOES cause more harm than good, says PROFESSOR TIM SPECTOR By Jo Macfarlane Published: 02:01, 26 May 2024 | Updated: 02:01, 26 May 2024 e-mail View comments As social media spats go, it was all rather unexpected – and unseemly – for a group of prominent medics. At the centre of the storm was top health scientist Professor Tim Spector and his brief comments on a new study which suggested, in lab mice at least, Vitamin D deficiency could increase the risk of cancer returning. Prof Spector, a genetic epidemiologist at King's College London and the founder of the ZOE nutrition app, wrote on X, formerly Twitter , that the study was 'another reason to stop using SPF 50 all year round, which blocks our natural defences'.
His point was, he believed, simple and uncontroversial. Sunlight triggers the production of Vitamin D in our bodies, and wearing sunscreen, particularly a strong one like SPF 50 throughout the year – especially in winter, when damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays are less strong – may affect the amount of the crucial compound we are able to generate. Healthy Vitamin D levels have been linked with staving off dementia, heart and metabolic health, better survival from breast cancer, lowering blood pressure and improving sleep and mood.
This appeared to be another piece of evidence that making sure we had adequate amounts was a good idea. Top health scientist Professor Tim Spector was at the centre of a social media s.
