something more about vitamin D
something more about vitamin D Research Highlight
Nature Reviews Cancer 7, 489 (July 2007) | doi:10.1038/nrc2187
In the news: Vitamin D gets an A+
David Holmes
“The findings … are a breakthrough of great medical and public health importance” (time.com, 8 June 2007). So said Cedric Garland, a prominent vitamin D researcher at the University of California-San Diego, speaking about a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that suggests large doses of vitamin D may reduce the risk of cancer.
The 4-year US study involved 1,179 healthy post-menopausal women over the age of 55 in rural Nebraska. Researchers at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha conducted a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial in which the study participants were randomly assigned to three groups who took 1,400–1,500 mg a day of supplemental calcium or supplemental calcium plus a 1,100 IU (international unit) dose of vitamin D per day (over twice the daily dose recommended by the US government), or placebo.
Women in the calcium plus vitamin D group had a 60% lower cancer risk over 4 years compared with the placebo group. After excluding the results in the first year to account for undiagnosed cancers that may have been present at the outset of the study, the calcium and vitamin D group showed a 77% lower cancer risk, whereas the researchers found no significant difference in risk for the calcium-only or placebo groups.
“The findings are very exciting. They confirm what a number of vitamin D proponents have suspected for some time”, said Joan Lappe, the lead researcher, adding that “vitamin D is a critical tool in fighting cancer” (medicalnewstoday.com, 8 June 2007).
However, Lappe cautions that more research is needed to confirm that the protective effect also applies to men, younger women and other ethnic groups. The American Cancer Society also reacted cautiously, pointing out that only 50 of the 1,179 women developed cancer, making broad conclusions difficult.
Hi quattroformaggi,
After seeing this posting of yours, I read your previous postings and profile (in the old system, I have not been able to do the same with the new system, aaargh!). I am supposed to take calcium and vitamin D because of weak bones, but tend to forget to do so. Your posting has given me another reason to take my tablets.
I look forward to seeing other postings from you.
Elena
Dear Elena
The search on this new system is very powerful. If you want to access previous discussions on this subject just type in vitamin D or calcium.
Hope this is useful
Sam
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Moderator,
What do I do if I want to see all previous postings by quattroformaggi (or anyone else)?
Elena
Dear Elena, indeed this story of vitamin D seems quite interesting. I have personally spoken with some investigators working on vitamin D and cancer, even one that have had breast cancer and they all take vitamin D (twice the recommended daily dose), since they were convinced by the results they got in the lab! I am not sure it needs to be taken now in summer, since being in the sun should make your body produce the right amount of vitamin D, but since most of the days I work, and don’t get out until the evening, I take the recommended daily dose nearly every day, also now.
They also told me it is very difficult to overdose vitamin D, but I know not everybody agrees on that!
I really hope it helps!
xx
I’ve heard lots of things about Vit D as well…how interesting, I shall certainly explore this when I finish chemo.
If you go to the canceractive.co.uk site, you will find a lot of information about vitamin D. One doctor suggests that 10,000 ius a day are needed for people in our position. I have been following this advice since I heard it from the conference they organised a year or so ago, and take 8,000 ius a day, generally speaking. This is a lot, and I can quite understand if some feel horrified at the amount. However, I do not believe I have suffered any ill effects during that time.
Incidentally, canceractive has a lot of interesting topics which you might find useful.
Hi. If you’re interested in Vitamin D, check this out: ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/08-07VitaminDKE-.asp a review of all the available research and applied across 177 countries which have significant winters, with recommendations on dosage. The full article is coming out in a few days and I got this info from the Breast Cancer News network - a daily scientific news service available on subscription. It looks like the daily recommended dose for prevention and prevention of recurrence is 2000 i.u. plus some sunshine. Rather begs the question of the widely publicised 1800 i.u. toxicity boundary. I hope the full article also indicates a useful dose for those of us with active cancer.
Wishing you well,
Jenny
Hi, DarkLady. Check this out… a very exciting review of all the benefits of vitamin D across 177 countries with dose recommendations:
ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/health/08-07VitaminDKE-.asp
An across the board recommendation emerging for 2000 i.u. per day plus 15-20 minutes sunshine for prevention or prevention of recurrence. Begs the question about the widely reported toxicity level of 1800 i.u. and I hope the scientists are going to agree what levels are sensible for those with active cancer. I’m sure I’m getting a megadose anyway as I live an outdoor life in southern europe. The abstract isn’t published yet but I’ll post it when it is. My source is breastcancernews.net BCN a subscription breast cancer scientific news service which issues daily summaries. I also rate canceractive.co.uk.
Wishing you well,
Jenny
Dear Jenny,
I had a look in PubMed at the author of the report you mentioned, and saw he works a lot in Vitamin D and cancer prevention. As you said the latest work has not been published yet but I found a less recent abstract, published in March, that could be interesting. I am anxious to read the new one!
all the best
xx
Do you take the vitamin D during or after chemo?; and if so during chemo at what stage in the cycle?
Thanks
Vitamin D is stored in the liver so it is possible to overdose over a period of time. Completely different to say, taking excess Vitamin C which will just be excreted.
Appropriate supplementary doses should take into account whether ot not you are out and about in strong sunlight, your skin colour (dark skinned people absorb less through the skin than fair people) and the amount of vitamin D in your usual diet.
The oncology clinic or your GP should be doing occasional blood test checks on the vitamin D levels in your blood if you are prescribed supplements. I certainly wouldn’t take more in a supplement than the current EU RDA, without monitoring, regardless of this research.
Dear Moderator, I understand the problem but I put here just the abstracts of the articles and not the entire articles (that would take many pages!). In any case, to avoid any problem I will just put the link from now on!
Anyway, Holeybones is right, but there are more and more articles coming out on Vitamin D and cancer in relevant scientific journals so it is worth reading about it. I know very well it could be just another “going nowhere” trend, but…
There is a quite comprehensive review about vitamin D and cancer in the November issue of Scientific American, a journal that can be bought nearly everywhere. the title of the article is “Cell Defenses and the Sunshine Vitamin”, and there is a little title in the cover (in the yellow band above the main image) that refers to the article inside (just to be sure to buy the right issue).
there is also an interesting review that came out last month
What is the Dose-Response Relationship between Vitamin D and Cancer Risk?
Cedric F Garland; William B Grant; Sharif B Mohr; Edward D Gorham; Frank C Garland
Nutrition Reviews; Aug 2007; 65, 8; Health & Medical Complete
pg. S91
I have it in PDF if anybody is interested, even if I am sure we are not allowed to exchange email adresses here!
take care
are you taking vitamin d and calcium whilst on chemo? or after it has finished? I have also wondered about cutting out dairy, and if rice milk or anything else would be a suitable alternative / Any suggestions welcome. Hugs to all out there
Ruffyp
Ruffy- I was told to cut down on dairy products by my surgeon. This was because we are vegetarian and probably ate too much cheese etc and also because my cancer was as positive as it can be for oestrogen. I use rice milk on cereals but I don’t like it in hot drinks and use skimmed milk in those. So I have cut back rather than eliminated dairy.
Anne
Ruffy,
it is better not to take any supplement or herbal medicine during chemo without talking to your oncologist first, there are many things that can interfere with the efficacy of the chemotherapy.
sab