Sun-D trial: People who use SPF50+ sunscreen daily more likely to be vitamin D deficient, study finds

A study has found that people who used SPF50+ sunscreen daily were more likely to have lower vitamin D levels than those who used it less frequently.

While researchers urge people not to stop using sunscreen, the QIMR Berghofer Sun-D trial found vitamin D supplementation was a safe, effective and cheap way for people to maintain healthy levels.

"Sunscreen remains a cornerstone of skin cancer prevention, backed by decades of robust evidence," Professor Rachel Neale, lead investigator of the Sun-D trial, said.

The study was made up of 639 people who did not use sunscreen regularly.

Half applied SPF50+ daily for a year, except for winter in southern regions, while the other half was a control group.

After a year, 46 per cent of the first group were vitamin D deficient in comparison to