Today we’ll talk about vitamin D and cancer prevention.
You probably know about vitamin D’s link with bone
density and strength.
Lately, though, scientists have been seeing a link with
vitamin D deficiency and certain types of cancer. They
suggest that this deficiency may account for several
thousand early deaths from colon, breast, ovarian, and
prostate cancer every year.
This discovery makes it even more important to ensure
that everyone has an adequate vitamin D intake.
Most studies have reported that vitamin D has a
beneficial effect on the risk of colon, breast, prostate,
and ovarian cancer.
One PubMed search from 2004 produced 63 different studies
(30 for colon cancer, 13 for breast cancer, 26 for prostate
cancer, and 7 for ovarian cancer).
Of the 30 colon cancer studies, 20 found a statistically
significant benefit for vitamin D on the cancer risk or
mortality.
Of the breast cancer studies, 9 reported a favorable link
between vitamin D markers (or sunlight) with cancer risk.
13 of the 26 prostate cancer studies found “a statistically
significant favorable association.” Six of seven
pre-diagnostic serum studies of colon cancer or adenomas
found a significantly higher risk in those with low
vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels.
“Vitamin D metabolism and serum levels are inversely
correlated with latitude and positively correlated with
sunlight.”
This means the higher the latitude, the lower the
vitamin D levels, and the more sunlight, the more vitamin
D.
This corresponds to a higher incidence or mortality rate
for colon and breast cancer in places that are 37 degrees
or greater from the equator.
There are similar north-south gradients for ovarian
and prostate cancer figures.
Normal colon, breast, and prostate epithelial cells have
a receptor for the active vitamin D metabolite that is very
sensitive.
This active metabolite is actually synthesized in colon,
prostate, breast, and other tissues. This provides a
possible explanation for the lower incidence rates of
colon cancer and adenomas in patients with higher vitamin
D levels.
Death rates for colon, prostate, and breast cancer
tend to be higher in areas with lower levels of
winter sunlight, and lower in sunny areas.
Patients with vitamin D levels below 30 ng/ml show
approximately twice the risk of colon cancer than
those with higher levels of vitamin D.
Women with the lowest serum levels of vitamin D
had a risk of breast cancer that was five times
greater than women with high levels.
In one study of 19,000 men, those with vitamin D
blood levels lower than 16 ng/ml had a 70% higher
incidence rate for prostate cancer than men with
levels above 16 ng/ml.
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and it involves more than just spending time under the sun! click here
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