Vitamin D and cancer risk

Vitamin D 'can lower cancer risk'

Oily fish is a source of vitamin D
High doses of vitamin D can reduce the risk of developing some common cancers by as much as 50%, US scientists claim.
Researchers reviewed 63 old studies and found that the vitamin could reduce the chances of developing breast, ovarian and colon cancer, and others.

Experts have said that they need to see more research, said BBC correspondent Rachel Wright.

Charities cautiously welcomed the study but warned too much vitamin D could harm the kidneys and liver, she said.

The "natural" form of the vitamin, called D3, is normally produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight, but is also obtained from certain foods such as oily fish, margarine and meat.


The easiest and most reliable way of getting the appropriate amount [of Vitamin D] is from food and a daily supplement
Professor Cedric Garland

The research, done at the University of California in San Diego, looked at the relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and cancer risk.

Survival rates for Afro-Caribbean people with breast, colon, prostate and ovarian cancers are worse than for white people, possibly because dark skins are not as good at making vitamin D, the researchers said.

The papers reviewed, published worldwide between 1966 and 2004, included 30 investigations of colon cancer, 13 of breast cancer, 26 of prostate cancer and seven of ovarian cancer.

Scientists said analysis showed that, for at least some cancers, the vitamin D factor could not be ignored.

Taking 1,000 international units (IU) - or 25mg - of the vitamin daily could lower an individual's cancer risk by 50% in colon cancer, and by 30% in breast and ovarian cancer, they said.

'Action needed'

The study acknowledged large doses of vitamin D should be treated with caution.


More than 2,000 IU - 50mg - a day can lead to the body absorbing too much calcium, possibly damaging the liver and kidneys.

Professor Cedric Garland, who led the review study, said: "A preponderance of evidence, from the best observational studies the medical world has to offer...has led to the conclusion that public health action is needed."

In the absence of sunshine, a beneficial level of vitamin D could be obtained from a combination of food sources and supplements, he said.

Prof Garland warned that sun exposure had its own concerns.

"Dark-skinned people, however, may need more exposure to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D, and some fair-skinned people shouldn't try to get any vitamin D from the sun.

"The easiest and most reliable way of getting the appropriate amount is from food and a daily supplement."

The findings have been published in the American Journal of Public Health.

[lia]

This article has appeared in many of today s newspapers in the uk ,also included in one paper , the daily mail .. i think , was the suggestion that long term survival was affected by the the time of year of diagnosis, ie the closer to summer ,the more vit D ,the better the survival rates.I m not computer literate enough to post links but i m sure it could be googled.I dont take any extra vitamin d apart from my multi vit so am now investigating the best vitamin d supplements to take, has anyone got any suggestions? I remember Gina posting the suggestion that calcium wasnt a good idea for her2 bc , cant remember why tho !Thanks !

[AlaskaAngel]

Cancercare (1-800-813-4673) sent me a 2004 booklet of theirs (Better Bone Health for People Living With Cancer) last spring stating that "doctors recommend 800 IU of vitamin D daily" and also says: "If you live north of the line connecting San Francisco to Philadelphia, you probably don't get enough vitamin D. A 15-minute walk in the sun at least 3 times a week with the skin exposed helps the body make vitamin D naturally. Although sunscreens prevent vitamin D from forming, doctors still recommend you use a sunblock for prolonged sun exposure. Sunscreens reduce the risk of skin cancer and skin damage."

So because I live in Alaska, even on cold days if the sun is out I have been baring the flesh for 20 minutes on each side because sunshine provides mega-doses of vitamin D compared to what we get in a supplement. I also take both a multivitamin daily that provides 400 IU and a vitamin D3 pill that provides 400 IU daily.

AlaskaAngel

[Ginagce]

I just read your comment about calcium perhaps not being good for her2/neu+. I find this disturbing as I also take Arimidex which is notorious for causing bone loss. I must take calcium to ward off osteoporosis and would like to know am I creating another problem with my her2 by taking calcium supplements>?

Interested in any feedback.

Gina

[snoopy]

Just thinking (and typing at the same time) - ??? Is the potential "issue" with Calcium / HER2 related to people with bone mets? Calcium would potentially be a problem in this group as the bone mets themselves could cause hypercalcaemia??

Off to search further.

[lia]

Sorry if i alarmed you with my remark about calcium , i searched back to find Gina 's(Popp) original posting on october 6 th 2005 that says ' supplemental calcium is not recommended for us her2 gals '.Gina doesnt say any more on the subject that i can find, I think she is hosting a chat room session soon (but as i m in the uk i dont think i ll be able to make it ) maybe someone could ask then ?? I too am on arimidex and dont know what to do about calcium, i take extra magnesium which Gina suggests and have found it beneficial and am about to start some extra vitamin d ,but am very conscious of the potential of arimidex and zoladex on my bones. I think Gina is er negative so i dont know whether that has a bearing on the calcium issue.Hopefully Gina ( who has been an inspiration to me ,along with all the women on this site ! ) will see this and respond .... I also remember another posting that someone else had received as an email from Gina on diet that warned against citrus juice and citric acid... again i m not sure why and as i am partial to orange juice i still drink quite a lot but not as much as when on chemo.Hope this is of some use ,I know i ve rambled on a bit..(??). ..as far as vit d goes i knew it was important and that it was best from sunshine but since october i ve let it slide and almost forgotten about it.Thanks for the reminder and i ll brave the weak British sun next time it puts in an appearance !!

[Gina]

There are many reasons why I have concerns about extra SUPPLEMENTAL calcium for her-2 folks... I have no issues with normal calcium such as that from foods. If you want to build your bones though..it is magnesium that you need to be taking and not calcium...I do not know why calcium has received so much Popular press...but as I am fond of saying NO NEED TO TAKE my word for it...anyone concerned about the calcium issue..should google CALCIUM MAGNESIUM homeostasis...to understand what is really going on.

In a nutshell...the problem is absorption...no matter HOW MUCH SUPPLEMENTAL CALCIUM YOU INGEST...in the gut your body will only absorb an amount of calcium that is equal to the per cent of the magnesium in your system at the time. For instance...if you have 25mg of mag in your gut and ingest 1,000mg of supplemental calcium...you will absorb 25 mg of mag and 25mg of calcium (this is because the heart muscle needs the calcium to contract and the magnesium to relax--it is an evolutionary system that has been conserved since hearts evolved ...).

If you are young and healthy with superb bowel and kidney function, the extra 975 mg of calc won't really harm you and will be pooped or pee'ed out..to be blunt...smile...HOWEVER...as the typical American diet is notoriously poor in magnesium...if over time, you keep ingesting such a disproportionate amount of calcium to magnesium..real trouble will start. First, it will become harder and harder for your kidneys and bowels to rid the body of the excess supplemental calcium...causing lots of undue wear and tear on these vital organs...eventually, over time, the body will not be able to rid itself of ALL the excess calcium so guess what??? your body will start to store it in the the WORST of places..your bowels will become like cement..your joints will harden and calcify and then, your veins will start filling up with what is known in the trade as "calc plaque" which forms an ideal structure for bacterial biofilm to cling to which will lead to high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke and not make any "cancer situation" better than is for certain. Read the data for yourself. Why the doctors don't understand how the calcium mag homeostasis works anymore is beyond me....sigh... Remember, it is YOUR body and YOUR life...so take good care, one and all, Gina (Gpopp@Comcast.net)