Adequate Amounts Of Vitamin D Can Reduce The Risk Of Cancer

Researchers from the University of California discovered that the higher intake of vitamin D, particularly the serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D, can lower the risk of cancer. The study was published in the online issue of PLOS One on Apr. 6.

Cedric Garland, professor in the UC San Diego School of Medicine Department and a member of the Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health explained that having adequate amounts of vitamin D can inhibit all kinds of invasive cancer. These include bladder, breast and lung cancer.

Science Daily reported that the study involved seeking what type of blood level of vitamin D can effectively lower the cancer risk. The researchers conducted a clinical trial that comprised of 1,169 women and a prospective cohort study of 1,135 women. The scholars combined the two studies and acquired a higher range of blood serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25 (OH) D.

The Vitamin D of a person can be measured accurately through the blood test. In the Lappe trial cohort, there were 30 nanograms per millimeter of the median serum level of 25 (OH) D. On the other hand, in the Grassroots Health prospective cohort, there were 48 ng/ml.

They discovered that in the Grassroots Health cohort, the age-adjusted cancer incidence was 722 per 100,000 person-years and in the Lappe cohort, there were 1,020 cases per 100,000 person-years. This means that the cancer incidence is reduced with the increase of 25 (OH) D. Women who had 25 (OH) D concentrations with 40 ng/ml or higher has about 67 percent rate that can reduce the risk of cancer compared to women with 20 ng/ml or less.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended an intake of vitamin D for about 20 ng/ml for ages 19 to 70. This is equivalent to 600 International Units of Vitamin D every day.

Health shared some sources in which you can get enough vitamin D. A few sun rays can provide vitamin D. It is advisable that you expose yourself to the sun for about 20 to 25 minutes. Foods are the great source of vitamin D too. These include fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel, eel, trout and salmon. Other foods that can provide vitamin D are mushrooms, fortified milk, orange juice, egg yolks, and fortified cereal, beef liver and cod liver oil.