Can vitamin D protect you from cancer?

In the 1980’s researchers made the first connection between vitamin D deficiency and some cancers in when they noted populations at higher latitudes (with less available sunlight) were more likely to be deficient in vitamin D, which is produced by the body through exposure to sunshine, and experience higher rates of colon cancer. Subsequent studies by tfound vitamin D links to other cancers, such as breast, lung and bladder.

In a recent study, scientists reported that when women upped their vitamin D dosage, they were nearly one-third more likely to survive breast cancer, particularly for premenopausal women. The mechanism is vitamin D’s ability to stop the reproduction of cancer cells.  Researchers examined 1,666 women with breast cancer and found that the more 25-hydroxyvitamin D (250HD, a blood biomarker for vitamin D) they had, the better their chances of survival.   It should be noted that this research does not mean that low levels of vitamin D cause breast cancer nor should women with breast cancer flock to the nearest beach to sunbath.  Having said that researchers did comment that extra vitamin D can’t hurt.

Another important review which came out in 2016 linking low levels of vitamin D and aggressive prostate cancer. Researchers from Northwestern Medicine disclosing that:

“Deficient vitamin D blood levels in men can predict aggressive prostate cancer identified at the time of surgery. The finding is important because it can offer guidance to men and their doctors who may be considering active surveillance, in which they monitor the cancer rather than remove the prostate.”

One of the crucial things to note is that low vitamin D levels were found via blood tests before any sign of prostate cancer showed up, so checking vitamin D levels beforehand could be life-saving, and a much better alternative to begin taking it a problem is discovered.

Researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine report that higher levels of vitamin D — specifically serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D — are associated with a correspondingly reduced risk of cancer. The findings published in PLOS ONE  in 2016 found that raising your vitamin D levels (if they are low) can slash your risk of invasive cancers excluding skin cancer by 67%!

References

  1. Yao S, Kwan ML, Ergas IJ. Association of Serum Level of Vitamin D at Diagnosis With Breast Cancer Survival A Case-Cohort Analysis in the Pathways Study. JAMA Oncology. 2016
  2. YA, N, et al. (2016). Associations Between Serum Vitamin D and Adverse Pathology in Men Undergoing Radical Prostatectomy. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 34: 1345-1349
  3. Sharon L. McDonnell, Carole Baggerly, Christine B. French, Leo L. Baggerly, Cedric F. Garland, Edward D. Gorham, Joan M. Lappe, Robert P. Heaney .Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations ≥40 ng/ml Are Associated with >65% Lower Cancer Risk: Pooled Analysis of Randomized Trial and Prospective Cohort Study. PLOS ONE, 2016; 11 (4)

Related Posts

  • What can help period pain? – Part 2

    In part 1, I introduced the topic of period pain.  In this blog post, I want to explore the topic from the perspective of functional medicine practitioners who believe that period pains are caused by certain nutritional deficiencies particularly vitamin B, magnesium and essential fatty acids. There is evidence that magnesium can reduce the sensitivity to pain.  In one study 21 out of 25 women treated with magnesium for six months saw a reduction in the period pain. In one scientific study over 500 women aged between 12 to 21 with moderate to severe period pain took vitamin B1.  87% were completely cured after 3 months.  Just 5% saw no effect at all, while 8% saw their pain reduced.  There is also scientific evidence that vitamin B6 may be useful too. Finally, there is scientific evidence that Acupuncture can be a safe and effective treatment for period pain. References Magnesium reference see >> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27978803,  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11687013, Vitamin B reference see >> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8935744, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1459624/ Acupuncture references see >> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29879061 and https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2017/1791258/abs/  

  • After 20 years of genetically modified crops are they a sucess?

    I have never been that keen on the idea of eating genetically modified food.  I understand the economic argument about same amount of land would give you a greater yield and that the crops would be more robust and hence would need less pesticides.  But I have always had my concerns about if scientist truly understood all the implications of modify crops.  In Europe generally the idea of fooling with nature caused widespread protests. Genetically modified crops were more acceptable in North America and were introduced 20 years.  Well I can safely say that any fears I had about any adverse side effects or any other fears of GM crops being "Frankenstein" food that is harmful to humans were laid to rest a long time ago.  So I would say that GM crops are now more acceptable by the European general public, who here in the UK we probably eat GM crops that are imported from North America.  So on the "Frankenstein" criteria they have been very successful. But what about the economic arguments that were put forward 20 years ago.  Data from the united nations reveals that there is no discernible advantage in yields between North America and Europe that didn't introduce GM crops.  Since GM crops like corn, cotton and soyabeans were introduced into North America the use of toxic chemicals to kill insects and fungi has fallen by 33% but the spraying of herbicides has increased by 21%.  In France, the use of insecticides and fungicides has fallen by 65% and herbicide spraying as fallen by 36%. This suggests that GM crops aren't as robust as originally envisaged by scientist and they don't produce more abundant harvests either.  So western europe didn't loose out by not introducing GM crops. Where GM crops do seem to have made a difference according to Matin Qaim, a researcher at Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany, is significant yield gains from insect-resistant varieties  of crops in the developing world, particularly in India. References Genetically engineered crops: Experiences and Prospects report see >> https://www.nap.edu/login.php?record_id=23395

  • So how does massage reduce pain? – Part 1

    I said in a previous post that scientists are interested in finding out how massage works.  So if we accept that massage reduces muscle pain, that leaves the question, "How does massage reduce muscle pain?". In 1965, Ronald Melzack and Patrick Wall outlined a scientific theory about psychological influence on pain perception; the ‘gate control theory’.  According to the gate control theory, pain signals are not free to reach the brain as soon as they are generated at the injured tissues or sites. They need to encounter certain ‘neurological gates’ at the spinal cord level and these gates determine whether the pain signals should reach the brain or not. In other words, pain is perceived when the gate gives way to the pain signals and it is less intense or not at all perceived when the gate closes for the signals to pass through. Cutaneous mechano-receptors are stimulated by touch (massage) and transmit information within large never fibres to the spinal cord.  These impulses block the passage of painful stimuli entering the same spinal segment along small, slowly conducting neurons. This theory gives the explanation for why someone finds relief by rubbing or massaging an injured or a painful area. For example, the pain gate theory explains "how"  a child feels better after mum or dad intuitively rub their knee when they have fallen over. In summary massage produces short term pain relief by being a particularly effective trigger for the pain gate process. References Melzack R, & Wall PD (1965). Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science (New York, N.Y.), 150 (3699), 971-9  Moayedi M, & Davis KD (2013). Theories of pain: from specificity to gate control. Journal of neurophysiology, 109 (1), 5-12 Jacobs M. (1960) Massage for the relief of pain: anatomical and physiological considerations.  Physical Therapy Review, 40: 93-8 Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science. 1965 Nov 19;150(3699):971–979. Wells PE, Frampton V, Bowsher D. (1988) Pain: Management and Control in Physiotherapy.  Heinemann Medical.  Chapter 13. Watson J. (1982) Pain mechanisms: a review.  1. Characteristics of the peripheral receptors.  Australian Journal of Physiotherapy.  27:135-43