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Cancer
Vitamin D May Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
Date: 24/04/06
Keywords: Vitamins
Once again, Im extolling the virtues of the sunshine vitamin. The idea that vitamin D can play a role in reducing the risks of some cancers has been around for some time. But two new studies have revealed that high levels of vitamin D can reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 50 per cent in one study... Once again, Im extolling the virtues of the sunshine vitamin.
The idea that vitamin D can play a role in reducing the risks of some cancers has been around for some time. But two new studies have revealed that high levels of vitamin D can reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 50 per cent in one study.
Teenage sun worshippers
The first study was headed by Dr Julia Knight at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Looking at over 1700 women, they found that those who took cod liver oil between the ages of 10 and 19 years had a 25 per cent reduced risk of breast cancer. Those who consumed at least nine glasses of milk every week between the ages of 10 and 29 years had a reduced risk of 35 per cent. The largest effect seemed to come from sunlight, with those who had an outdoor job between the ages of 10 and 19 years showing a 40 per cent reduced risk.
Dr Knight concluded, Earlier exposures may be more important than recent exposure. Current thinking is that exposures during adolescence or before a full- term pregnancy may have a greater effect, as that is when breast tissue is going through the most rapid development.
Its not too late
The second study, at the University of California in San Diego, looked at more than 120,000 women in the UK and the US. Blood tests were carried out on a sample of the group with breast cancer, and on a sample without.
In a few cases, where the women had unusually high levels of vitamin D, they showed a 50 per cent reduced risk of breast cancer. In cases of more modestly raised levels of vitamin D, the risk was still reduced by 10 per cent.
How much is enough?
Advisors are unable to agree on what the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D should be. The European RDA is just 5 micrograms (200IU). However, Professor Garland from the University of California study advocates 1,000 IU.
It is becoming clearer now that we can take higher doses than people used to think. states Dr Knight. However, overdoing vitamin D supplements can lead to a dangerous build-up of calcium in the body, so caution should be taken.
As I've noted in previous e-Alerts, getting safe amounts of vitamin D is tricky. The best dietary sources are eggs, liver, fish liver oils and oily fish, but diet accounts for very little of the nutrient that makes its way into the bloodstream. The very best source is exposure to the sun. Of course, this is controversial because of the risk of skin cancer (see the e-alert Sun exposure: Soak up the sun in small doses 20 June 2005). And, unfortunately, the British climate is not a reliable source of vitamin D, so dietary supplements are usually necessary outside summer months.
The advice of Professor Garland: People in the United Kingdom cannot synthesise vitamin D from November to the end of March. The half life of the storage form of vitamin D is about three weeks, so Britons become deficient by December. Residents of the United Kingdom should aim for 1015 minutes a day in the sun when the weather allows, without sunscreen, to allow adequate synthesis of vitamin D.
Back to topThe idea that vitamin D can play a role in reducing the risks of some cancers has been around for some time. But two new studies have revealed that high levels of vitamin D can reduce the risk of breast cancer by up to 50 per cent in one study.
Teenage sun worshippers
The first study was headed by Dr Julia Knight at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. Looking at over 1700 women, they found that those who took cod liver oil between the ages of 10 and 19 years had a 25 per cent reduced risk of breast cancer. Those who consumed at least nine glasses of milk every week between the ages of 10 and 29 years had a reduced risk of 35 per cent. The largest effect seemed to come from sunlight, with those who had an outdoor job between the ages of 10 and 19 years showing a 40 per cent reduced risk.
Dr Knight concluded, Earlier exposures may be more important than recent exposure. Current thinking is that exposures during adolescence or before a full- term pregnancy may have a greater effect, as that is when breast tissue is going through the most rapid development.
Its not too late
The second study, at the University of California in San Diego, looked at more than 120,000 women in the UK and the US. Blood tests were carried out on a sample of the group with breast cancer, and on a sample without.
In a few cases, where the women had unusually high levels of vitamin D, they showed a 50 per cent reduced risk of breast cancer. In cases of more modestly raised levels of vitamin D, the risk was still reduced by 10 per cent.
How much is enough?
Advisors are unable to agree on what the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D should be. The European RDA is just 5 micrograms (200IU). However, Professor Garland from the University of California study advocates 1,000 IU.
It is becoming clearer now that we can take higher doses than people used to think. states Dr Knight. However, overdoing vitamin D supplements can lead to a dangerous build-up of calcium in the body, so caution should be taken.
As I've noted in previous e-Alerts, getting safe amounts of vitamin D is tricky. The best dietary sources are eggs, liver, fish liver oils and oily fish, but diet accounts for very little of the nutrient that makes its way into the bloodstream. The very best source is exposure to the sun. Of course, this is controversial because of the risk of skin cancer (see the e-alert Sun exposure: Soak up the sun in small doses 20 June 2005). And, unfortunately, the British climate is not a reliable source of vitamin D, so dietary supplements are usually necessary outside summer months.
The advice of Professor Garland: People in the United Kingdom cannot synthesise vitamin D from November to the end of March. The half life of the storage form of vitamin D is about three weeks, so Britons become deficient by December. Residents of the United Kingdom should aim for 1015 minutes a day in the sun when the weather allows, without sunscreen, to allow adequate synthesis of vitamin D.
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