Vitamin D supplements may be waste of money Prof Autier said the results suggest decreases in vitamin D are a result of ill health rather than the cause. "Ageing and inflammatory processes involved in disease occurrence and clinical course reduce vitamin D concentrations, which would explain why vitamin D deficiency is reported in a wide range of disorders," he added. Doctors currently believe that Vitamin D has a role in disease prevention and promotes the uptake of calcium and bone formation. However a studier earlier this year found that the supplement did little to protect over-50s against brittle bone disease. The University of Aukland found that, In most adults, bone mineral density does not significantly improve as a result of taking vitamin D and so should not be used to ward off osteoporosis. The NHS currently spends more than £80 million a year on prescriptions for vitamin D-based medicines. Public Health England is currently reviewing its recommendations for vitamin D which are expected to be published next year The study was published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. An editorial said the odds are stacked against vitamin D being of use in preventing non-skeletal disorders. But it added: "Large ongoing clinical trials to assess the effects of vitamin D on non-skeletal health outcomes are therefore justified. It would be a real boon to patients if the results are positive, but unless effect sizes for clinically important outcomes are large, the results will only confirm the neutral effect reported by most clinical trials thus far. However the findings were greeted with some scepticism by health professionals. Catherine Collins, Principal Dietitian at St George's Hospital NHS Trust, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "Vitamin D intake remains a cause for concern amongst UK Registered Dietitians, and our advice would be to continue to ensure an intake of at least 10 mcg daily, especially if you avoid the sun, are pregnant, housebound, or cover up outdoors. We also recommend that young children take vitamin D supplements as recommended by the Chief Medical Officer. Vitamin D is absolutely essential for bone health, and this comprehensive paper doesn't really allow us to ignore its potential for other conditions as well. Dr Nigel Belshaw, Research Leader, Institute of Food Research, said: "Increasing your vitamin D level may still confer additional advantages: vitamin D is essential for bone health, orchestrating absorption of calcium in the gut and maintaining bone density into later life (which reduces the risk of osteoporosis)." Dr Colin Michie, Consultant Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics, Ealing Hospital NHS Trust, and Chair of the Nutrition Committee, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health: "From the perspective of a paediatrician, this paper is a valuable contribution in the field of nutrition, but it has little to contribute to our problem in the UK, where low levels of vitamin D result in hypocalcemic seizures in infants and bony disorders such as rickets."