University of San Diego scientists say a large daily dose of vitamin D can dramatically lower the risk of developing common cancers, as well as other diseases and disorders.
They recommend that all adults ingest at least 1,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D daily. This increase in vitamin D may cut the odds of getting colon cancer by nearly half, and the chances of getting breast or ovarian cancer by about a third, according to the researchers.
Currently, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences recommends daily vitamin D intake of at least 200 IU for adults 50 or younger, 400 IU for people ages 51 to 70 and 600 IU for people 71 or older. The average American ingests around 230 IU of vitamin D per day.
A person's major source of vitamin D intake (up to 90 percent) used to come from sunlight. But by using more sunscreen and spending less time outdoors, most people have become vitamin D deficient, and need to alter their diets and take supplements to restore the appropriate level.
Professor Cedric Garland, along with other cancer specialists from the University of San Diego, assessed the link between cancer and vitamin D in 63 scientific papers published between 1966 and 2004. Studies have shown that people living in the north-eastern United States, where it is less sunny, and African-Americans with darker skins are more likely to be vitamin D deficient. People with darker skin produce less vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. These same demographics also had higher cancer rates. This may explain why African-Americans die sooner from cancer than whites, even after allowing for differences in income and access to care.
Vitamin D supplementation can reduce cancer incidence and mortality "at low cost, with few or no adverse side effects," the researchers said in their article appearing in the February 2006 American Journal of Public Health.
Getting enough vitamin D through supplements would cost less than 5 cents a day, and, in a dose less than 2,000 IU per day, has shown no side effects. Vitamin D is also believed to play a vital role in the prevention of heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis. The vitamin also is essential for bone health, protecting children against rickets and the elderly from osteoporosis.
Vitamin D should be used with caution, however, as large doses (greater than 2,000 IU or 50 micrograms) can cause the body to absorb too much calcium, possibly damaging the liver and kidneys.
This article is from MyDNA.com
© 2006 MyDNA.com