Wearing sunscreen every day might be protecting your skin, but new research shows it could come with a surprising health trade-off that needs to be considered.
A major Australian study by QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Queensland, has uncovered a link between daily SPF50+ use and vitamin D deficiency, which can impact bones, immunity, and overall health.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Daily sunscreen linked to vitamin D deficiency
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
The year-long clinical trial named Sun-D Trial tracked 639 adults living from Queensland down to Tasmania who weren’t regular sunscreen users.
Half were asked to apply SPF50+ daily (excluding in winter), while the rest continued their normal habits.
After 12 months, 46 per cent of the daily sunscreen group were vitamin D deficient compared to just 37 per cent in the control group.
Lead researcher Professor Rachel Neale said the results do not suggest Australians should stop using sunscreen, which remains essential for preventing skin cancer.
“Sunscreen remains a cornerstone of skin cancer prevention, backed by decades of robust evidence,” Neale said.
“Our findings simply suggest that people who are diligent about daily sunscreen use may want to consider vitamin D supplementation as a safe, effective and cheap way to maintain healthy vitamin D levels.”
But while sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, the study shows too much protection from UV rays could lower levels over time.
Neale said vitamin D is vital for bone strength and immune health, and plays a role in preventing falls, fractures, and even some autoimmune conditions.
“Too little vitamin D increases the risk of falls and fractures,” she said.
“But more recently, we’ve come to understand that vitamin D plays an important role in modulating our immune system, for example, which then has influence on autoimmune diseases like MS, but also on infectious disease outcomes and the severity of infectious diseases, for example.
“So it’s really important that we don’t end up vitamin D deficient.
“For many Australians, particularly those living in southern states, they actually are vitamin D deficient at the end of winter.
“So this is something we need to pay attention to.”
Health experts said Australians should keep following national sun safety guidelines — especially when the UV index hits 3 or higher — and consider chatting to their GP about supplements if they’re covering up every day.
“So my advice is that people both protect their skin from the sun by using sunscreen as part of the daily routine and then consider taking a vitamin D supplement to ensure that they don’t end up vitamin D deficient,” Neale said.
“You can take a vitamin D supplement for less than 10 cents a day without needing to have a test.
“There’s no evidence that sun exposure is more effective than supplementation for maintaining vitamin D.”
For consumers, the results land amid growing questions about which sunscreens can actually be trusted.
A CHOICE investigation earlier this year revealed 16 out of 20 sunscreens tested failed to meet their advertised SPF50 claims, prompting a TGA investigation and several product recalls.
Stream free on
