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Vitamin D Levels Again Linked to Breast Cancer

By Daniel H. Rasolt

Posted: Saturday, April 19, 2008

(Defeat Diabetes® News) -- The most comprehensive vitamin D - breast cancer correlation study to date has confirmed the suspected result that women with low blood levels of vitamin D are at a much higher risk for developing breast cancer.

Past studies of this nature have primarily focused on vitamin D resulting from food intake, and the subsequent relevance of women's diets on breast cancer risk. The study under question here "investigated the complete vitamin D status," which accounts for 25 forms (technically written as 25(OH)D), including types that come from food, from other sources (such as sunlight), and that occur naturally in the body.

1,394 breast cancer patients, as well as 1,394 post-menopause women without breast cancer, were analyzed in the study. The conclusions of the study were that "women with a very low blood level of 25(OH)D have a considerably increased breast cancer risk. The effect was found to be strongest in women who were not taking hormones for relief of menopausal symptoms."

Vitamin D, which finds its way into the body primarily through sunlight, as well as foods such as mushrooms, dairy, sea fish and eggs, is becoming recognized more and more as an essential nutrient for the body. It regulates calcium levels, promotes bone growth, and protects against harmful kidney and liver diseases. It also helps protect against cancer, most significantly breast cancer, as the above study shows. Post-menopausal women, and younger women as well, should make sure to get healthy doses of sunlight and nutritional vitamin D, in order to better protect themselves against a very common and often fatal disease, breast cancer.

Source: Defeat Diabetes Foundation: Kohlstaedt, Sibylle. Breast Cancer Research press release. April 2008.

Daniel H. Rasolt writes for Defeat Diabetes® News. Read more of his original content articles.

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