Exploring Heath News New and Old Today = Vitamin D Blood Levels and the Incidence of Cancer

Introduction 

Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin which, we can get from our food but mostly we get it from our food. It is responsible for helping absorb important nutrients such as calcium, magnesium and phosphate as well as being involved in a vast number of processes in the human body. In the 1980s it was found that there was a correlation between higher incidence of bowel cancer and receiving less sunlight. More recently, low levels of of this vitamin and the increased risk of cancers has been reported, however recommendations are still unclear. Researchers from the San Diego University set out to find out why.

The Science

The researchers in San Diego decided to investigate further by measuring this important vitamin in two groups of over 1,100 women in each group. The exact aim of the study was “To investigate whether the previously reported inverse association between 25(OH)D and cancer risk could be replicated, and if a 25(OH)D response region could be identified among women aged 55 years and older across a broad range of 25(OH)D concentrations.”

In winter where can I get Vitamin D3 from

• Supplements
• Oily fish (Salmon and Mackerel for example)
• Red meats
• Eggs

Conclusion 

Lower levels of vitamin D (75 nmol/l) in this study showed a higher risk of cancer than the group with the higher vitamin D levels (120 nmol/l vitamin D). This research performed, among others has shown that vitamin D has an inverse relationship with cancer risk and 2010 recommendations of being above 50 nmol/l have been shown to be too low and may need to be increased to 125 nmol/l. Furthermore, at GC Biosciences after taking over 2000 blood samples over 4 years, we can report that ~90% of people tested were under the 75 nmol/l range.

If you want to know how to increase your vitamin D levels in the summer read this page. Find out what your vitamin D level is by testing, contact us today to book in for a blood draw.

References:

McDonnell SL, Baggerly C, French CB, Baggerly LL, Garland CF, et al. (2016) Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations ≥40 ng/ml Are Associated with >65% Lower Cancer Risk: Pooled Analysis of Randomized Trial and Prospective Cohort Study. PLOS ONE 11(4): e0152441. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0152441