Getting enough vitamin D is important for optimal health and a recent study has found it could lower chances of cancer deaths.
Findings published last Tuesday found that getting a daily dose of the nutrient could reduce cancer mortality in the population by twelve percent - provided it's taken daily. This was the result of an evaluation of 14 studies conducted at the German Cancer Research Center, with a total of almost 105,000 participants.
Potential effects of vitamin D - also known as D3 - supplementation and the development or prognosis of cancer have already been investigated in numerous studies. While it's not found to prevent cancer, it could reduce the likelihood of dying from it.
However, varying results in past research prompted academics to re-evaluate previous studies on the topic to produce more robust findings. Scientists say their results highlight the importance of consistent vitamin D consumption and how it aids those with cancer.
Vitamin D deficiency is common worldwide, especially in cancer patients and the best way to obtain it naturally is through sunlight absorption. It's a vital nutrient as it regulates calcium levels in the body, which keeps bones and teeth strong and healthy.
There are also vitamin D supplements for those who can't go outside, or live in countries with poor weather. In fact, the NHS recommends that all Scots take a daily Vitamin D supplement, as the country only gets enough of the right kind of sunlight to produce it between April and September - mostly between 11am and 3pm.
Further analysis of the studies with daily intake found that people with cancer aged 70 and older benefited most from vitamin D3 therapy. In addition, the benefits were most evident in cases where vitamin D intake was started before the cancer diagnosis.
To come to these conclusions, academics examined only the highest quality studies whose participants had been randomly given more vitamin D3 or a placebo.
When all 14 studies were pooled, no major results emerged. However, when they were divided according to whether vitamin D3 was taken daily in a low dose, or in higher doses administered at longer intervals, a large difference was seen.
In the four studies with the infrequent higher doses, there was no effect on cancer mortality. However, in the summary of the ten studies with daily dosing, researchers saw a statistically significant twelve percent reduction in cancer mortality.
Lead researcher Ben Schöttker said: "We observed this twelve percent reduction in cancer mortality after untargeted vitamin D3 administration to individuals with and without vitamin D deficiency. We can therefore assume that the effect is significantly higher for those people who are actually vitamin D deficient."
Hermann Brenner, epidemiologist and prevention expert at the German Cancer Research Center added: "This work underlines the great potential of vitamin D3 administration in the prevention of cancer deaths. Regular intake at low doses is associated with almost negligible risk and very low cost."
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