Can Vitamin D Be the Latest Breakthrough in Cancer?
Recent studies link vitamin D to cancer prevention and even cancer treatment. Is vitamin D the new powerhouse nutrient?
In some recent animal studies vitamin D has strikingly reduced cancerous tumor growth. In addition, a large number of observational studies in people have linked low vitamin D consumption to an increase risk of cancer. The type of cancers linked are numerous: breast, rectum, esophagus, stomach, bladder, ovaries, prostate, kidney, uterus and lung; a substantial list of cancers to say the least.
Researchers at Creighton University in Omaha conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial, the most reliable form of clinical information obtained. Among 1,179 community-living, healthy, post-menopausal women, they reported last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that over the course of four years, those that took calcium and 1,100 International Units of vitamin D-3 developed roughly 80% fewer cancers than those that just took calcium or a placebo. What an extraordinary endorsement for the benefits of vitamin D!
Vitamin D is quickly becoming the powerhouse nutrient and for good reason. We are finding not only that vitamin D has extraordinary benefits but we are also discovering that the current RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is way too low. Currently the RDA for vitamin D is 400 I.U. Probably over the next few years, as the information uncovered by these types of studies is finalized and the information gets processed by the FDA, you will see a dramatic increase in the RDA for vitamin D.
Vitamin D is not just beneficial in reducing the risk of cancer. The powerhouse nutrient has many important roles in the body. These include...
- Maintaining Your Calcium Balance
- Immune Boosting
- Plays a role in Insulin Secretion
- Regulates Blood Pressure
- Disease Prevention
Many of you may know that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin as opposed to a water-soluble vitamin like vitamin C for instance. The danger with fat-soluble vitamins is that it is possible to overdose and develop vitamin-toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity is extremely rare in healthy people. One should not be concerned about this unless they are taking extremely high amounts consistently, such as 7,000 - 10,000 I.U.s. It is also important to note that developing vitamin D toxicity to overexposure of sunlight is not a legitimate concern.
It is very difficult to get all the nutrients we need from the food we eat. Vitamin D is no exception and there are a wide range of vitamin D supplements in the marketplace. We strongly recommend getting your vitamin D in a non-synthetic vitamin D3 form and definitely take it with calcium in the proper ratios.
Vitamin D is tough to get from food especially for vegetarians. Here is a list of foods that are a natural source of vitamin D...
- Herring
- Catfish
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Eel
...and the one natural source not found in water...
The more research being done on vitamin D, the more we are understanding its overall importance to our health.
Can Vitamin D Be the Latest Breakthrough in Cancer?
Recent studies link vitamin D to cancer prevention and even cancer treatment. Is vitamin D the new powerhouse nutrient?
In some recent animal studies vitamin D has strikingly reduced cancerous tumor growth. In addition, a large number of observational studies in people have linked low vitamin D consumption to an increase risk of cancer. The type of cancers linked are numerous: breast, rectum, esophagus, stomach, bladder, ovaries, prostate, kidney, uterus and lung; a substantial list of cancers to say the least.
Researchers at Creighton University in Omaha conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial, the most reliable form of clinical information obtained. Among 1,179 community-living, healthy, post-menopausal women, they reported last year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that over the course of four years, those that took calcium and 1,100 International Units of vitamin D-3 developed roughly 80% fewer cancers than those that just took calcium or a placebo. What an extraordinary endorsement for the benefits of vitamin D!
Vitamin D is quickly becoming the powerhouse nutrient and for good reason. We are finding not only that vitamin D has extraordinary benefits but we are also discovering that the current RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) is way too low. Currently the RDA for vitamin D is 400 I.U. Probably over the next few years, as the information uncovered by these types of studies is finalized and the information gets processed by the FDA, you will see a dramatic increase in the RDA for vitamin D.
Vitamin D is not just beneficial in reducing the risk of cancer. The powerhouse nutrient has many important roles in the body. These include...
- Maintaining Your Calcium Balance
- Immune Boosting
- Plays a role in Insulin Secretion
- Regulates Blood Pressure
- Disease Prevention
Many of you may know that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin as opposed to a water-soluble vitamin like vitamin C for instance. The danger with fat-soluble vitamins is that it is possible to overdose and develop vitamin-toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity is extremely rare in healthy people. One should not be concerned about this unless they are taking extremely high amounts consistently, such as 7,000 - 10,000 I.U.s. It is also important to note that developing vitamin D toxicity to overexposure of sunlight is not a legitimate concern.
It is very difficult to get all the nutrients we need from the food we eat. Vitamin D is no exception and there are a wide range of vitamin D supplements in the marketplace. We strongly recommend getting your vitamin D in a non-synthetic vitamin D3 form and definitely take it with calcium in the proper ratios.
Vitamin D is tough to get from food especially for vegetarians. Here is a list of foods that are a natural source of vitamin D...
- Herring
- Catfish
- Salmon
- Mackerel
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Eel
...and the one natural source not found in water...
The more research being done on vitamin D, the more we are understanding its overall importance to our health.