New research could have us rushing to gobble down lots of vitamin D tablets. But should we?
A study to be published in the February issue of the American Journal of Public Health says that regular, large doses of vitamin D may cut a person's chances of developing breast, ovarian, colon and other cancers by up to 50 percent.
Time to get more vitamin D?
Oncologist Tom Tucker, who serves on myDNA's Medical Advisory Board, says this is interesting news "if it holds up."
Tucker said since the study hasn't been published, reviewed and digested, people shouldn't run out and take handfuls of vitamin D pills just yet.
What does vitamin D do?
Vitamin D is found in many different foods, but is primarily available through exposure to ultraviolet sunlight, which causes synthesis of the vitamin to take place in the skin. Once produced in the skin or consumed in food, vitamin D is chemically converted by the body into its active form, D3. D3 is critical to bone health - without it, the skeletal system may become weak and brittle.
A few foods, including eggs, dairy products, cod-liver oil, and cold-water fish like salmon and herring, are good sources of vitamin D. Multivitamins also typically include vitamin D, usually at a dose of about 400 International Units (IUs).
How much vitamin D do I need?
Currently, the Food and Drug Administration's recommended daily value (DV) for vitamin D is 200 IUs for those ages 1 to 50, 400 IUs for ages 51 to 70, and 600 IUs for older than 70. The study's authors recommend changing the recommended dose to 1,000 IUs of vitamin D3.
"Time will tell if the study is correct. If it turns out to be true, then it is probably long term usage of vitamin D that offers a protective benefit, and it may even turn out that the vitamin D has to be started in childhood," Tucker says.
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This article is from MyDNA.com
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