Following a screen for Vitamin D levels fro m my GP I have been told that I have an extreme low level of this vitamin. I will be getting treatment for this.
Because I have the Coeliac condition I am not surprised by this. However I recall that there is some kind of link between low levels of Vit D and breast cancer.
As I have a dx of breast cancer too I am interested to check this out. Has any one else heard of such a link?
Thanks
WS
The research is inconclusive but there are studies that show a link between cancer (not just breast) and low vit D. Can’t hurt to get your levels up anyway. It also helps your body use calcium to strengthen bones.
http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/vitamin-D
Hi yes I have done a lot of searching on net and also on this site and a lot of cancer sufferes have low fit D. In fact was reading an articleon magazine which did a poll of the editing staff and had them alltoasted and out of the 8 tested 6 where below the recommended level. The article suggested that it will come to it that the population especially kids will be given suppliment. All this wearing factor 50 and keeping out of the sun has had a negative effect especially as in UK we have so little sun and eat very little oily fish which has fit D. I take a suppliment and a high one 2000iu but if you are awaking suppliment it needs to be D3 not just fit D. X
Hi Keyfeatures and Carrie 35.
Keyfeatures - interesting link - Thanks for that
Carrie35- I am picking up a script from Docs at the end of the week, can you tell me what D3 is and why it needs to be that? I am not sure what she is prescribing. I have already got calcium tablets as I have Osteopenia (was told that today too!)
Thanks!
WS
Hi
I have read various articles suggesting a link between low Vit D levels and all sorts of conditions, including many cancers. It would be interesting if we all asked our oncologists what they take. I asked mine and he takes Aspirin every day alongside Vitamin D and recommends his adult family members (who have a history of cancer) do the same. If it’s good enough for the professionals it’s good enough for me!
Nicky
I read this with interest as I have also posted before about low levels of Vit D and BC. My onc is very up on this research and tests all her patients now routinely. She told me that 95% of women show low levels and she then puts them on treatment alongside the BC treatment.
I have been taking high strength Vit D3 for over a year now and it is only now that my levels are returning to normal, and I am the biggest sun worshipper of all time (and I don’t wear Factor 50). Plus I have always eaten a healthy diet full of oily fish and leafy veg.
I was also on holiday in the US earlier in the year and stocked up on high strength vit D and it actually says in the leaflet and on the bottle of tablets, that it is needed to promote healthy cells and can prevent against both prostate and breast cancers,
From what I know it needs to be D3 because this is the one that you body uses and alongside healthy cells helps the body to absorb calcium. All other vit D is found in food and it doesn’t stay in the body long enough to be absorbed.
I could be slightly wrong on my explanation so don’t all condemn me in one go please.
Hi Samlee, out of interest what dosage of vitD3 are you taking? Em x
I take 1,000iu or on some packaging it says 25mcg which is 500% you daily allowance.
I will let forum users know what i am prescribed by the Gp (the make) when I collect it later this week. SamLee are you having frequent blood tests to check your levels? Have you an explanation as to why your levels were low, given that you appear to have done all the ‘right things’ to prevent deficiency?
For me I guess the ‘extremely low levels’ I was told of yesterday are in part explained by my Coeliac condition. The Gp was at a loss to explain it otherwise.
Thanks
WSX
Hi Wintersocks,
I had an initial blood test last year and then I had another one this year to check that the levels were going up which they are. I was told to carry on with the tablets though as our bodies can’t store vit D so we need to keep topping it up. The only explanation my onc gave me was that if you tested everyone in the country most people would be deficient as we just don’t get enough sun here and also people’s obsession with smoothering high factor suncream on. I have never used suncream higher than 15 but now when on holiday I make a point of spending the first half hour in the sun without any suncream on whatsoever.
In the US they are compaigning for vit D to be re-classed as a hormone rather than a vitamin as it is that important and people tend to dismiss it as just a vitamin. So that’s interesting.
Are you being prescribed tablets or injections. A wife of one of my husband’s colleagues actually ended up in hospital having injections because of low vit D.
Hiya Samlee,
I think it is tablets, but can’t be sure til I get script. I didn’t realise how important Vit D is. Thanks for all the info - very enlightening.
WS
Hi there, I had read about this on other posts and thought I would mention when I visited my gp a little while ago. I am on zoladex as well as tamoxifen so thought would I need extra supplements for bones ie calcium/vit d. Anyway he did test to get baseline reading and what do you know I am deficient. So he puthighly high strength tablets to get it upto a normal level. It is 2,500iu. Not sure if this will be lowered once levels are Ok. I have had another test and it has gone up since the tablets. I get brand pro d3 brand. I was always tired before and I am sure this has improved even with being on tamoxifen and zoladex. I am going to ask next visit if this improvement if energy levels is down to vit d.
Hi All,
The CancerActive site has good articles on this. Having read them I asked my oncologist to test me. My levels are low so I asked if I can take supplements. The answer was “yes” so that is what I am doing.
The articles I referred to explain the vitamin/hormone thing. They make very interesting reading.
Verity