Lower Cancer Risk witih Vitamin D
New studies published in the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition show more good news for the links between
vitamin D and a lower occurrence of cancer in postmenopausal women.
Robert W. Griffith, M.D., reported that for more than 50 years, sun exposure has been related to a lower risk of breast, ovarian, stomach, bladder, kidney, lung, and pancreatic cancer. In the last 25 years, there have been newer studies that show vitamin D’s beneficial effects in protecting against colorectal and prostate cancer.
Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk. Results of a randomized trial showed that the women in the study who took calcium-plus-vitamin D were 53% less likely to develop cancer than women in the study taking placebo pills.
Griffith commented, “[t]he link between too much sun and skin cancer is well established. But the benefit of sunshine in promoting synthesis of vitamin D should not be overlooked; indeed, some scientists recommend that 15 minutes in the sun twice a week should be sufficient to ward off vitamin D deficiency.”