Large Daily Dosage Of Vitamin D Lowers Risk Of Breast, Ovarian Cancers, Study Says

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine;  Ovarian Cancer;  Breast Cancer
Article Date: 08 Jan 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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A daily dosage of 1,000 international units of vitamin D can lower the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers by about one-third, according to a study in the Dec. 27, 2005, online edition of the American Journal of Public Health, the New York Daily News reports. Cedric Garland of the University of California-San Diego Moores Cancer Center and colleagues looked at 63 previous studies that examined the association between vitamin D and cancer (Rose, New York Daily News, 12/29/05). Out of the 63 studies, 13 involved research on breast cancer and seven looked at ovarian cancer (Hope, Daily Telegraph, 12/29/05). Garland said the previous studies found that the link between vitamin D intake and a lower risk of cancer is as apparent as the link between smoking and higher risk of lung cancer, Reuters reports. He added that people should consider taking vitamin D supplements to increase their daily intake to 1,000 international units, which is within National Academy of Sciences' safety guidelines (Reuters, 12/28/05). "Breast cancer will strike one in eight women. Early detection using mammography reduces mortality rates by approximately 20%, but the use of vitamin D might prevent this cancer in the first place," Garland said (Daily Telegraph, 12/29/05). However, Colin Cooper of the United Kingdom's Institute of Cancer Research said more studies need to be conducted in order to verify the findings. Cooper added, "If you look at any individual study, the evidence is really suggestive, rather than providing absolute proof. ... They failed to provide any mechanism for how low levels of vitamin D are actually linked to high incidence of cancer" (BBC News, 12/28/05).

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