SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – The Vitamin D Council, a nonprofit educational corporation based in California, launches their “Vitamin D and Cancer” campaign today, presenting 20 detailed summaries of the evidence on the role of vitamin D in preventing cancer. Epidemiologist Dr. William Grant prepared the evidence-based summaries. He is the founder of the nonprofit organization, Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center (SUNARC) and serves as the Science Director for the Vitamin D Council.
Some researchers believe the link between vitamin D sufficiency and a decreased risk in cancer is promising. A randomized controlled trial found a 77% reduction in all-cancer incidence when the study group supplemented with 1100 IU/day of vitamin D plus 1450 mg/day calcium. Says Dr. Grant, “Based on various studies of UVB, vitamin D and cancer to date, it appears that global cancer burden can be reduced by 15-25% if everyone had vitamin D blood levels above 40 ng/ml.”
The summaries can be found under the “Health conditions” tab on the Vitamin D Council website, or more specifically at http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/health-conditions/cancer/. The Vitamin D Council hopes the campaign will spread more awareness about the importance of vitamin D sufficiency and the dangers of vitamin D deficiency.
Top ten facts about vitamin D and cancer (presented in the summaries)
- Many studies have found solar ultraviolet-B (UVB) and vitamin D associated with reduced risk of breast, colon, and rectal cancer.
- A randomized controlled trial with 1100 IU/day vitamin D3 plus 1450 mg/day calcium found a 77% reduction in all-cancer incidence.
- Geographical studies have found reduced risk in mortality rates for 20 types of cancer in regions of higher solar UVB doses.
- Observational studies have found that the risk of breast, colon, and rectal cancer fall as vitamin D blood levels rise at least up to 40 ng/mL (100 nmol/L).
- Mechanisms have been proposed to explain how vitamin D acts to reduce the risk of cancer from starting, growing, and spreading.
- Those who develop nonmelanoma skin cancer may have produced enough vitamin D to reduce their risk of internal cancers.
- Those with higher vitamin D blood levels at time of cancer diagnosis had nearly twice the survival rate of those with the lowest levels.
- African-Americans have an increased risk of cancer in part due to lower vitamin D blood levels because of darker skin.
- Higher UVB exposure early in life has been found associated with reduced risk of breast and prostate cancer.
- Those diagnosed with breast, colon and prostate cancer in summer in Norway had higher survival rates than those diagnosed in winter.