Do vitamin D supplements work? | Prof. Tim Spector and Dr. Federica Amati

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Oct 10, 2024

Guest

Federica Amati

Guest

Tim Spector

Professor Tim Spector, an epidemiology expert and co-founder at ZOE, teams up with Dr. Federica Amati, a leading nutritionist and author, to unravel the truth about vitamin D. They discuss the common misconceptions surrounding supplementation and its actual necessity. Hear insights into how sunlight is the best source of vitamin D and the potential risks of overdosing on supplements. The duo also emphasizes a holistic approach to nutrition, highlighting the importance of whole foods and personalized health choices.

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INSIGHT

Vitamin D: Not a Vitamin

Vitamin D is misnamed; it's a pro-hormone closer to a steroid.
The body produces it in large quantities via sunlight, unlike true vitamins.

INSIGHT

Commercialization of Vitamin D

Vitamin D blood levels have risen over time due to commercial pressures, not scientific evidence.
Individual needs vary; a universal recommended level is flawed due to genetic factors.

ANECDOTE

Osteomalacia: The Adult Rickets

Tim Spector treated osteomalacia patients, the adult form of rickets, often in immigrant populations.
Symptoms include painful muscles, aching, fatigue, and unusual fractures.

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Vitamin D is the world’s favorite supplement. Governments around the world recommend people take the supplement for at least six months out of the year. But do we really need these pills? Do they even work? And could they actually be harming us?

In this episode, two ZOE scientists - Professor Tim Spector and Dr Federica Amati reveal the truth about vitamin D.

Tim is scientific co-founder of ZOE and professor of epidemiology at King’s College London. Federica is head nutritionist at ZOE and author of the Sunday Times bestseller ‘Every Body Should Know This’.

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Timecodes:

00:00 The sunshine vitamin

01:50 Quickfire questions

04:05 What is vitamin D?

07:12 Is sunlight the best source of vitamin D?

09:40 Does vitamin D keep my bones strong?

15:34 Are vitamin D levels a marker of good health?

20:00 What counts as normal levels of vitamin D?

24:42 Supplement controversy

29:10 Do calcium supplements help bones?

31:29 Can I take too much vitamin D?

37:50 Could vitamin D prevent these health conditions?

42:54 Tim’s sunscreen controversy

46:46 Vitamin D and immunity

Books by our ZOE Scientists:

Mentioned in today’s episode:

The VITAL Trial - Principal results of the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) and updated meta-analyses of relevant vitamin D trials (2020), published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cut-points for associations between vitamin D status and multiple musculoskeletal outcomes in middle-aged women (2016), published in Osteoporosis International
Assessment of the genetic and clinical determinants of fracture risk: genome wide association and mendelian randomisation study (2018), published in British Medical Journal

Other ZOE Science & Nutrition episodes to try:

What to eat to avoid osteoporosis with Prof. Tim Spector & Prof. Cyrus Cooper | Listen on Apple or Spotify
Mushrooms as medicine: Uncovering the health secrets of fungi | Listen on Apple or Spotify

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Episode transcripts are available here.